RugbyRebels

http://m.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article ... d=11589222

An award-winning Auckland University mathematics professor will leave the country after his residency application was rejected because of his stepson's autism.

Professor Dimitri Leemans moved to New Zealand from Belgium in August 2011 with his wife, Francoise Duperoux, their 5-year-old daughter, Margaux, and his stepson, 13-year-old Peter Gourle, after winning a job at Auckland University.

He was the recipient of the 2014 New Zealand Mathematical Society Research Award and a Marsden grant of $580,000 for his work in mathematics. In a letter of support, Auckland University said it and the country would be disadvantaged without him.

Leemans was extremely disappointed with the "short-sighted" decision by Immigration New Zealand (INZ). "It is already hard to have a disabled child but it is even harder when you live abroad because you don't have the family to support you and then it is even harder when you see you are not welcome with your child in the country where you live.

"Immigration is telling us: 'You are not welcome to live here because you have a disabled child'."

Is this one of those 'no recourse to public funds' reasons?

Unfortunately this callous penny pinching has become a characteristic among many of the NZ government departments. Except when it comes to building pointless roads. Then they suddenly have billions of dollars to burn through.

zer0 wrote:Unfortunately this callous penny pinching has become a characteristic among many of the NZ government departments. Except when it comes to building pointless roads. Then they suddenly have billions of dollars to burn through.

Can't forget charter schools and lining the pockets of wealthy Saudi sheiks. Or changing the flag because... reasons. And tax cuts. Gotta get those tax cuts in.

But hey, they could always slash the Special Needs education budget some more, right?

It seems that NZ is doing its very best to destroy the reputation it has had world wide. Can't just blame the national govt though, the population seems perfectly happy to keep voting for them

NZ is dangerously academically inbred these days. If it can't be sold, no one wants anything to do with it. We are getting what we voted for over the last 30 years. A neoliberal Lego village run by fukheads.

Oh hey, I totally forgot that private schools are also being subsidised, and are actually getting more and more money each year! And did I mention that the Special Needs budget for the state schools has been slashed? I did? Well, I might as well say it again. And guess what! Half the cabinet ministers in the government send their kids to private schools! Who'd have thought?

morepork wrote:NZ is dangerously academically inbred these days. If it can't be sold, no one wants anything to do with it. We are getting what we voted for over the last 30 years. A neoliberal Lego village run by fukheads.

But surely the dairy prices will recover! Bill seems to believe so! Let's keep chucking all out eggs in that basket. Who cares if it's a yolky mess covered in rotten eggs right now?

cashead wrote:

morepork wrote:NZ is dangerously academically inbred these days. If it can't be sold, no one wants anything to do with it. We are getting what we voted for over the last 30 years. A neoliberal Lego village run by fukheads.

But surely the dairy prices will recover! Bill seems to believe so! Let's keep chucking all out eggs in that basket. Who cares if it's a yolky mess covered in rotten eggs right now?

That is just a horrible slow motion train wreck. I remember being on the piss with a couple of young Cantabrians in Hamner Springs about 8 years ago who were all for this milky basket. The cooperatives were ramping up, there were shiny new facilities being built in Hokitika and Darfield. But what if it falls on it's arse? I asked. No no no they said, she'll be right. Astoundingly unsophisticated long term planning. Is there anything left to sell off there now? Oh yeah, hospitals and schools.....

zer0 wrote:Unfortunately this callous penny pinching has become a characteristic among many of the NZ government departments. Except when it comes to building pointless roads. Then they suddenly have billions of dollars to burn through.

I obviously agree but don't knock our roads. They're world class compared to the 3rd world bullshit roads over here. So bad its laughable.

Len wrote:

zer0 wrote:Unfortunately this callous penny pinching has become a characteristic among many of the NZ government departments. Except when it comes to building pointless roads. Then they suddenly have billions of dollars to burn through.

I obviously agree but don't knock our roads. They're world class compared to the 3rd world bullshit roads over here. So bad its laughable.

Give the stop-go man a break, yes. I am about to partake of my annual Kieth with dudes in orange vests.