Kicked out of his new home
A former tulip grower is putting his life back together in the Netherlands after getting kicked out of New Zealand for having cancer. Mary-Jo Tohill reports.
He beat cancer, only to be kicked out of New Zealand. He lost his home, and his partner left him temporarily.
As bad as things have been for former Southland tulip grower Stef Groen in the past two years, things are definitely on the up for him back in the Netherlands.
In March 2018, the Dutchman lost his bid to extend his working visa in New Zealand.
His partner Babs Steinvoort and their then 2-year-old son Dray had to return to Holland because of New Zealand’s policy regarding the state of Groen’s health.
Groen shifted to New Zealand in 2005 and moved south in 2013 where he was employed as a manager at the Edendale tulip farm.
While visiting family in Holland in July 2016, he was diagnosed with stage-four lymphoma cancer.
He had previously held a ‘‘work to residence’’ visa under the entrepreneurship category and applied to extend the visa after 12 months.
However, it was declined because Groen had not set up his business as per his business plan.
Under the terms of his work visa then, he could have had the treatment in New Zealand but chose to have it in Holland.
After an initially bleak prognosis, he undertook chemotherapy and natural treatments, and got the all clear from cancer in May 2017.
His son Dray, now 3, was born between chemo treatments.
In August that year, the family returned to New Zealand to continue with their dream, to start their own tulip operation and invest $2 million into it.
Dutch media interest high
Immigration New Zealand denied Groen a work visa on the grounds of his health, the likelihood of his cancer coming back within 10 years, and the significant costs or demands he would place on the health system.
Media interest had been high in Holland, and people were still shocked the family had been ‘‘kicked out’’, he said.
‘‘The night before we were leaving New Zealand the news about us had reached the media in the Netherlands. Straight back, we have been on radio stations, online news and even twice on television.
‘‘Same as in Southland and the rest of New Zealand, the people here in Holland don’t accept the hard policy of Immigration New Zealand. Why, why, why, why us?’’
He believed the trade agreement between the two countries should also cover the policy on settlement for Dutch people and Kiwis to live, work and be cared for in each other’s countries.
Now 48 and based in Saint Maarenszee in northwest Holland, Groen’s health was stable. But his personal life had been a rollercoaster ride, he said.
After two weeks back in the Netherlands and after the media rush, Steinvoort left him, taking their son Dray.
They had given up their life in New Zealand, including their home and car, and the prospect of starting their own tulip business.
‘‘We had no home, nothing, and that was too much for her. The rollercoaster we have been through in these last three years still didn’t stop.’’
However, he was able to buy a tiny home and had work offers from a number companies.
‘‘After a few months, Babs and Dray came back and we stay together now. Lots of unhappy things happened to us; it was like a rollercoaster.
‘‘We are nowadays busy with a vegetable business with lots of coolstores, which we would like to convert into a tulip farm with a new greenhouse.’’
The heating would be selfsufficient, using heat transfer from the greenhouse into hot water that is pumped down to a depth of 30 metres, then pumped back up in the winter to provide free heating.