The reasons for this are complex, some police officers appear to have particular zeal in this area. There has been a handful of convictions, none of them resulting in a jail sentence. It is hoped that lobbying to change the law under which these cases are prosecuted will bear fruit soon. New Zealand's health system, like every other, has been undergoing reform. There are two sectors, public and private.
Primary care is provided by general practitioners who bill patients directly.
Secondary care may be in a public or private hospital. The same applies to private hospitals. The intent of this set up is that public and private hospitals can compete on a relatively level playing field. It is not yet certain that this has happened. The reforms have only been in place for two years.