New Zealand has a some what disturbing history of fascism and authoritarian rule, from the the brutal atttempts to crush watersiders strikes, to Muldoon era economic controls including taxing the music industry on the basis that it did offer "real" jobs.
Sadly, the fascism, never died there. it got a new branding and marketing campaign. Haled as "Rogernomics" or as neoliberal economics, the agenda boiled down to making everyone pay for everything at the point of service. Including medical help, medicines. They softballed it, saying $3 dollars(prescription copay) or $5 (doctors visit copay) is hardly anything all. But assistance for those who most needed was not adjusted cover this "modest" extra burden. Worse still a decade later, assistance was reduced, by Phase two of Cthulhu's economic pincer movement which was applauded and dubbed "Ruthenasia" after over privileged minion Ruth Richardson.
Today, If you have an injury and need physio there is a $35 copay. Like people struggling to put food in the table and pay rent at the same time can afford it. Clearly if people are getting this help, they are either living under a bridge or starving, either way Cthulhu is satisfied.
