Tourist tax could help healthcare

WELLINGTON: Doctors practising in rural areas say the proposed tourist tax should also be directed to benefit healthcare services in the regions, given peak tourism seasons can heavily affect those services.

The New Zealand Rural General Practice Network said the tax, likely to be implemented next year, had to reflect what it was seeing in the field — that tourism was placing ‘‘real stress’’ on the delivery of rural health services.

Tourism Minister Kelvin Davis announced the new levy last week and said it would cost visitors between $25 and $35.

The money would help fund infrastructure and conservation costs around the country.

‘‘Many regions are struggling to cope and urgently need improved infrastructure — from toilet facilities to car parks,’’ Mr Davis said.

But practice network chief executive Dalton Kelly said that help had to extend to the healthcare facilities provided in rural areas which could find themselves stretched during peak tourism times.

‘‘Tourism is a great thing for the New Zealand economy.

‘‘But managing its impacts goes beyond more toilets and car parks,’’ Mr Kelly said.

‘‘The classic New Zealand tourism experience is accessed directly through rural New Zealand and already booming tourism numbers are placing great strain on stretched rural health services.

‘‘Across 75 regions of New Zealand outside urban centres, many rural doctors and nurses — often the only medical staff in their community — provide the rural emergency firstresponder service as well as trying to manage local patients and the tourism influx.’’

He said many of those rural communities could experience a tenfold increase in population numbers over the popular summer holiday season, for example.

At the height of those seasons, a rural doctor or nurse could head out to up to six air ambulance callouts in one day, he said, effectively leaving the local community with no health support.

‘‘Decisions around allocating revenue from a tourist tax will need to reflect the real needs of rural communities — not just the highly visible issues like car park congestion.’’

Written submissions on the proposed tax will be accepted until July 15.

Australians and most Pacific Islanders would be exempt from paying the levy, as would children under 2 years old, seasonal workers and those in transit.

❛ . . . already booming tourism numbers are placing great strain on stretched

rural health services