Last week, I wrote about the disturbing news that our Government is ordering doctors to assess which patients to prioritise for treatment and surgeries based on their race.
I want to emphasise just how seriously we must take this.
Not only does this policy contribute to a growing list of ways the New Zealand Government is allocating rights and access to services based on ancestry, but it also serves as a giant distraction from the worsening outcomes in our system.
With the election fast approaching, now is the time to show strong opposition to this kind of race-based policy. Politicians are worried, leading up to an election, and will pay more attention to petitions, polls, and public sentiment.
I encourage you to forward the website www.equalhealth.nz to friends and family. If every Hobson's Pledge supporter signs, and gets one friend to sign, this would be an issue no politician seeking to be elected could avoid.
Nobody should miss out on healthcare because of their race.
How quickly you receive surgery should be determined by how sick you are, how urgently you need surgery and how long you’ve been waiting. Justifying the inclusion of how long you or your ancestors have been in New Zealand, as a consideration in the decision, is a new low for this Government.
I can't stress enough how unethical this policy is and how concerned we should all be when we view it as part of a wider picture of a Government attempting to reengineer society.
Please take a few seconds to sign. Please talk to friends and family about this.
Join me in telling the Government that equality before the law is not something we are willing to give up.