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Student loan borrower arrested at NZ border for overdue repayments, IRD says a ‘last resort’
Details released to the Weekend Herald under the Official Information Act show the latest arrest happened last year.
Use of the hardline power is rare - there was only one arrest in 2022 - and has continued despite Prime Minister Chris Hipkins’ past reservations about the policy.
There were no … View moreDetails released to the Weekend Herald under the Official Information Act show the latest arrest happened last year.
Use of the hardline power is rare - there was only one arrest in 2022 - and has continued despite Prime Minister Chris Hipkins’ past reservations about the policy.
There were no arrests in 2021, and two in 2020.
New Zealand’s borders shut in March 2020 in an effort to keep out Covid-19, with a Managed Isolation and Quarantine (MIQ) system subsequently brought in. Borders reopened in phases last year.
The arrest policy was introduced under National in March 2014.
The first arrest happened in January 2016, when Cook Islander Ngatokotoru Puna was stopped as he tried to leave New Zealand.
Puna’s $40,000 loan had ballooned to about $130,000. He said collection letters went to the wrong address, and had to repay thousands before authorities agreed to him returning home.
There have now been a total of 11 border arrests.
Inland Revenue is responsible for chasing up overdue student loan debt, and its commissioner applies for the arrest warrants.
The department told the Weekend Herald that arresting someone at the border as they try to leave New Zealand is a “last resort after all other avenues to secure payment have been exhausted”.
“Inland Revenue will always try to work with our customers directly before pursuing legal action. There are relief options available to help manage repayments for those who are in a position of hardship.”
The amounts of overdue repayments at the time of arrest (not the loan balance) ranged from $15,000 to $90,000. Those arrested were aged from 30 to 55.
All those arrested either paid or reached a repayment agreement.
Inland Revenue declined to say how many overseas-based borrowers were having their travel movements monitored for possible arrest, reasoning “release of this information could adversely affect the integrity of the tax system”.
People with overdue repayments were sent statements and notices, Inland Revenue said, “including information on the range of possible collection actions”.
“We also increase attempts to contact overseas-based borrowers when we know they are in New Zealand and encourage them to contact us to sort out their student loan debt before they leave.”
More than 77,000 overseas student loan borrowers have overdue repayments. The average amount outstanding is $24,135.
New Zealand-based borrowers are largely salary and wage earners, who have deductions made through PAYE. Only 5 per cent of borrowers in Aotearoa have overdue repayments, compared with 75 per cent of overseas-based borrowers.
Student unions have criticised the border arrest policy as draconian and likely to make overseas Kiwis “student-loan refugees” - unable to return home for weddings, funerals or other important events.
The Green Party is also opposed to the policy, but Labour is happy with it - Education Minister Jan Tinetti confirmed to the Weekend Herald “there are no plans to review the policy, change it or end its use”.
“My officials advise me only a small number of the most non-compliant borrowers are affected by this policy, and it is used as a last resort,” Tinetti said.
“It’s also worth mentioning that hardship provisions are available to those who cannot afford to pay, which means this sanction will only apply to those who could pay but refuse to do so.”
In 2018 Hipkins, then education minister, expressed concerns about the threat of arrest, telling Newshub it “sometimes exacerbates the situation, because it means those people never come home - sometimes you’re better to get them home then into an arrangement where they can start making payments”.
That same year, Labour introduced a flagship policy to pay for the first year of tertiary education. It was to be expanded to cover the first three years, but this was suspended in 2020, largely due to the impact of Covid-19 and the need to reprioritise spending.
Border arrests
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Eleven people have now been arrested at the border because of overdue student loan debt
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2022: 1 arrest
2021: 0 arrests
2020: 2 arrests
2019: 2 arrests
2018: 2 arrests
2017: 1 arrest
2016: 3 arrests
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Do you know the difference between Choko and Moth plant?
Chokos have shiny skin and are plump at the bottom. Moth plant pods have matt skin and are plump at the top where they attach to the vine. And choko vines have alternate hand-shaped leaves like maples. If you need to know anything else about… View moreDo you know the difference between Choko and Moth plant?
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Secondary and area school teachers around the country will strike again next week in a bid for better pay and working conditions.
The PPTA said members voted overwhelmingly in favour of more industrial action, including a one-day national strike next Wednesday, in support of their collective agreement negotiations.
In the second week of next term, they will put in place a plan to roster different year levels of students home… View moreThe PPTA said members voted overwhelmingly in favour of more industrial action, including a one-day national strike next Wednesday, in support of their collective agreement negotiations.
In the second week of next term, they will put in place a plan to roster different year levels of students home on various days for four weeks.
On top of that, in the third week of Term 2, rolling strikes will be held where teachers will strike on different days in different regions starting at one end of the motu and finishing at the other.
Also from the first day of the next school term, PPTA Te Wehengarua members will not attend meetings outside school hours.
Members will also continue to refuse to give up their scheduled planning and marking time to relieve for absent teachers or positions that are vacant.
This follows the country’s largest-ever teachers’ strike last week where an estimated 50,000 kindergarten, primary, secondary and area school teachers, along with primary and area school principals took to the streets in protest.
”PPTA Te Wehengarua members have shown they are serious about getting a new collective agreement with salaries and conditions that will stem the worsening secondary teacher shortage throughout the motu,” said Chris Abercrombie, acting president of PPTA Te Wehengarua.
“Teachers would much prefer to be teaching in a settled environment this year, rather than taking extensive industrial action.
“However, we cannot stand by when the future of secondary education is at stake.”
Abercrombie said the PPTA wanted a commitment from the Government that students would have specialist teachers for every subject as well as pay and conditions that will keep teachers in the profession and attract new teachers.
The PPTA and Ministry of Education had been in mediation over the last week and were meeting again today.
Abercrombie said if the executive believed there was a genuine pathway to an agreement that members would vote for, they would consider calling off the strikes.
The Government has offered a $4000 pay rise for each teacher this year followed by about another $2000 next year.
The PPTA said that equates to an increase of 4.4 per cent this year and 2.1 per cent next year. Taking into account the time the current collective agreement has been expired and inflation, the offer came to a 10 per cent pay cut in real terms, the union said.
Secondary teachers are also calling for more guidance staff to work with the increasing number of students with mental health issues and controls on their workload.
They were offered about a third of the guidance staff required and a working group to look at their workload after the agreement was signed.
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I am available to do a babysitting job. I am an ECE reliving teacher since 2015 and have experience with children from infants to 9 years old.
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Zumba classes to get Fit
We have started zumba classes at christ the king school hall,classes start at 7pm.we have a professional zumba instructor to conduct the classes.All are welcome.
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Available Saturday until sold out and also Sunday Afternoon. 5 in a tray. Pick up only from Owairaka Avenue. Or contact 021 0803 4089 for your order. Thank you.
Heartbeats Heart Support Group at Wesley Community Centre
Heartbeats community-based heart event survivors support and education group will be at the Community Safety Day this Saturday at Wesley Community Centre, 740 Sandringham Rd, Extension.
Come along and meet our team to learn about community-led heart support for Maori, Pasifika and South Asian … View moreHeartbeats community-based heart event survivors support and education group will be at the Community Safety Day this Saturday at Wesley Community Centre, 740 Sandringham Rd, Extension.
Come along and meet our team to learn about community-led heart support for Maori, Pasifika and South Asian heart patients.
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