National Party health spokesman Paul Hutchison has criticised government funding of gender reassignment surgery, saying it is unjustified and a waste of health resources. "Most New Zealanders will be appalled that scarce health dollars are being spent on sex change operations while people line up for hip, hernia and gall bladder surgery" said Hutchison. He cited a case in particular where 73-year-old transsexual Vicky Harvey is going to have gender-changing surgery with taxpayers picking up the $30,000 bill next year. He cited a newspaper report saying the retired soldier with 20 years army service “went to a battalion reunion this year in a skirt and blouse,” suggesting the gender-reassignment operation was frivolous and saying "Many people further back in the elective surgery queue will be understandably angry with that."
Credit: GayNZ.com News Staff
First published: Tuesday, 23rd August 2005 - 12:00pm