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Petition Tag - nz
1. Stop smoking in public places in NZ 
Many people may chose to smoke but for those who don't and are walking down the street and people are smoking they shouldn't have to put up with that.
2. Wipe all interest charged on non-resident NZ student loans
Kiwi Refugees – there are tens of thousands of us, perhaps hundreds of thousands, forced into a life of exile from our homeland by the actions of our own government.
We are a generation of young New Zealanders who have attended university, received degrees and moved overseas – but alas are fated never to return, due to mounting debt through accrued loan interest, a lack of accessible repayment information, heavy international transfer fees, and now the rumoured threat of asset seizure or jail time if we return.
There is no doubt, we are the guinea pig generation - caught between one generation who are now reaping the benefits of their free education, and another who bask in interest free loans.
The majority of us are productive citizens, some of us are doctors, lawyers, teachers – many of us have gone on to further education and all of us have accumulated valuable experience while overseas, whilst back in the homeland all we have accumulated is a horrendously crippling debt. It ridiculous to think of the money that the New Zealand government is spending trying to entice immigrants to ease the skills shortage, when there are so many skilled New Zealanders living in student loan-induced exile overseas. Surely it would be more beneficial if the government developed a compromise regarding the interest charged on non-resident student loans, thus working to turn the tide of the ever-growing ‘brain drain’.
The New Zealand government has done nothing but show the ‘kiwi refugees’ of ‘the guinea pig’ generation disdain, which is causing a great amount of aggravation amongst the ex-pats. It doesn’t take much more than a quick internet search and a browse through the numerous forums to discover that, although we are scattered across the globe, (making any attempt at presenting a united voice almost impossible) we are unified in the fact that the vast majority of us will never return and, just as the government has turned their back on our plight – we will do the same – openly disowning our country of birth.
3. Safe and Civilised roads for New Zealand
We are resolved to remove hardcore impaired drivers from New Zealand’s roads. These individuals typically:
Drive with a high blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .15 or above (almost twice the legal New Zealand limit);
Do so repeatedly, as demonstrated by having more than one drunk driving arrest, and
Are highly resistant to changing their behaviour despite previous sanctions, treatment, or education efforts.
While hardcore offenders constitute a relatively small number of drivers, they account for a disproportionately large share of drunk driving problems. For example, it is estimated that while drivers with BACs in excess of .15 are only 1% of all drivers on weekend nights, they are involved in nearly 50% of all fatal crashes at that time.
Hardcore drunk drivers do not consume alcohol in moderation and they show no respect for the limits of the law. To reach a BAC of .15, a man weighing 80 kilos (176 pounds) would have to consume approximately seven drinks in one hour.
Research also has found that, compared to all drivers, hardcore offenders often are more aggressive, hostile, and thrill-seeking. Hardcore drunk drivers are also irresponsible, reckless, and abnormal in their drinking patterns and subsequent behaviour on the road. They tend to have much higher rates of alcoholism and alcohol-related problems, and are more likely to have a criminal record, to use drugs, and to have poor driving records. The New Zealand Police have recently commented on the increasing "casualness" of attitude of repeat offenders. In other words, they do not care.
The proposed changes are Cross Roads policy. Cross Roads is a Sensible Sentencing Trust initiative.
4. New Zealand 2011 Rugby World Cup
June 21, 2006
New Zealand shouldn't be hosting the 2011 Rugby World Cup.
5. Make Obesity Surgery Free in NZ
To have the New Zealand Ministry of Health classify obesity surgery as a medical procedure, necessary to the referred patient, as opposed to a cosmetic one, and to therefore cover its cost.
Obesity is a growing health concern in our society and leads to heart disease, diabetes etc., the prevention of which will save the government money in the long term. THe obese patient is also beyond the stage where they can just "control themselves" to lose weight - they have usually tried every diet in the book, all unsuccessfully, and are despairing. A possible endocrine imbalance only adds to the problem. If obese people could "just control it", they would! Yet they would love to lose weight. Obesity surgery has been described as the most effective, reliable treatment for severe obesity. Obesity has also been classed as a disease by no less than the United Nations.
***COME ON, LET'S MAKE FIFTY!!! :-) :-) Please, ask everyone you know who would be interested in signing this petition to do so!!! As soon as there are fifty signatures I'll send the petition off!!*** -from the petition creator.
