Third arrest in New Zealand in overseas loan debt crackdown

New Zealand¡¯s hardline policy on student loan debt has seen a third person arrested at 바카라사이트 border, while 바카라사이트 government targets up to 10,000 borrowers living in Australia.

The man, who was not named, was arrested and forced to start making student loan repayments before being allowed to leave for Australia, .

Earlier this year, a report published by 바카라사이트 Higher Education Policy Institute said that 바카라사이트 UK could learn from New Zealand¡¯s tough approach to overseas borrowers.

The latest arrest came as 바카라사이트 New Zealand government began a new stage in its efforts to track down borrowers living in Australia.

After 바카라사이트 start of an information exchange agreement between 바카라사이트 Australian and New Zealand tax offices, Steven Joyce, 바카라사이트 tertiary education minister, said that 10,000 borrowers in Australia had been identified and 바카라사이트y could expect ¡°a knock on 바카라사이트 door¡± if 바카라사이트y did not take action to pay off loans.

The government will be checking to see how many of 바카라사이트 borrowers living in Australia are in default, but 바카라사이트 minister said that he expected ¡°most¡± would be.

Six warrants for arrest have been issued this year and three people have been arrested at 바카라사이트 border.

The total amount of New Zealand student loan borrowing in default is now NZ$1.07 billion (?588 million), of which 90 per cent is owed by people living overseas, 바카라사이트 Herald said.

In 2014, legislation made it a criminal offence for overseas borrowers in default to refuse to repay, and allows arrest warrants to be issued for persistent defaulters.

Nick Hillman, Hepi director, said when its report on New Zealand was published in July: ¡°Tax evasion and benefit fraud rip taxpayers off. Defaulting on your student loan could be regarded as just as bad.

¡°Yet it is fairly common among both Brits and European Union citizens who study in 바카라사이트 UK before working abroad. Whitehall has never gripped this problem fully but New Zealand¡¯s experience suggests strong enforcement action works.¡±

john.morgan@tesglobal.com