Summarised by Centrist
A Wellington doctor has sent the US embassy an invoice for $2,790.95, arguing the United States should reimburse his clinic for petrol vouchers given to staff after fuel prices surged during the Middle East conflict.
Dr Shane Dunphy of Onslow Medical Centre said the vouchers were provided so staff could still afford to get to work and “feed their families” as petrol costs climbed. In a letter sent with the invoice, he wrote: “The USA is responsible for this and therefore should be held accountable.”
The invoice reportedly gave the embassy seven days to pay. Dunphy also used the letter to condemn Donald Trump and the US administration, calling the attack on Iran “immoral and completely unjustified”.
Dunphy said he sent the bill “as a matter of principle” and added: “If you break something, you should fix it.” He said he wanted countries around the world to “point the finger at the US and say, sort this out”.
Dunphy also criticised the New Zealand government for not condemning the war more forcefully, saying leaders should stand “on principle”. He said he did not expect the embassy to actually pay the account, but wanted to make a political point about who he believes is responsible for the wider economic fallout.
