KEY POINTS:
Hundreds of Zimbabweans living here have so far failed to come forward and be tested for HIV, which is at epidemic proportions in their homeland, despite a special Government policy offered to them.
Critics said the immigrants should now be forced to take tests or risk being sent home because undetected HIV infection posed a risk to locals.
In Zimbabwe, one in five adults is HIV positive. Usually the Government will not grant residency to people who are infected but, since August, it has made an exception for Zimbabweans fleeing the brutal regime of President Robert Mugabe. The offer closes on February 28.
However, only 39 of 800 Zimbabwean immigrants arriving between 2000 and 2004 have taken up the offer - and, of those, eight have tested as HIV positive.
New Zealand First associate immigration spokesman Peter Brown said the situation was much more serious than the "average Joe public" appreciated.
"We let people in here with potentially life-threatening diseases which could, in some segments of society, spread like wildfire. The Government should have tested everybody at the time of letting them in."
The Government had a responsibility to track the people down and test them all.
"That's the way we operate in any other field. If there is some problem out there in the community, we go and look to find the depth of the problem."
If found to be HIV positive, they should "depending on their individual circumstances be sent back where they came from or some other place".
Asked if this might be considered harsh for people fleeing a brutal regime, Mr Brown said: "Our suggestion to the Government was that the United Nations should at least front up for their medical costs."
Zimbabwean Association of New Zealand chairman Titus Katiyo doubted the figure of 800 people urged to come forward was correct.
He said the message about the Government amnesty had reached everyone in the Zimbabwean community.
The stigma of HIV, or doubts about the Government's intentions, could be an issue for some Zimbabweans.
"But if they have any disease, they are very much aware of what they need to do."
The New Zealand Aids Foundation said it understood "quite a few" Zimbabweans were looking to put their residency applications in before the deadline was up.
"We look forward to assessing the success of the [Government] policy after the deadline has passed," said executive director Rachael Le Mesurier.
"Granting residency to the minority of Zimbabweans now in New Zealand who may be HIV-positive is the best way to ensure those affected receive the treatment, care and support they need. Something they would not have received under the oppressive Mugabe regime."
Labour Department spokeswoman Mary Anne Thompson said work was continuing to ensure all eligible Zimbabweans were aware of the policy and understood how to apply.
"We've held community meetings, talked to Zimbabwean community leaders, given written information to communities and community leaders, put information on websites and directly contacted applicants to spread the message," she said.
"We want to help people to help themselves. This is a golden opportunity that we do not want people to miss out on."
