KEY POINTS:
Here is an earlier selection of Your Views:
Paul (Auckland)
I think that all Kiwis have the right to good Health Care regardless of their Criminal record. The Judicial System will never be perfect, it is impossible to say with 100 per cent certainty that a person is guilty or innocent. To withhold medical treatment from an individual based on criminal guilt would be a crime against humanity.
Sharron
Why can't law abiding, tax paying women receive Herceptin when they need it? Why do other contributing tax payers have to wait for treatment when this oxygen stealer gets treatment? Get him on the waiting list & get bumped off every 6 months. Give him pain killers if you must but why prolong a useless life. He does not contribute in a meaningful way.
Lyn Chambers
I feel very strongly that this man has taken two lives. His prison sentence is a gift of life to him. He should have his life taken for the taking of two children's mother and definitely should not be given $1m of tax payers money. Maybe we should let the taxpayers vote on this I am sure of what the answer would be. There are many good citizens awaiting this operation who are deserved.
Roddy (Hamilton)
This is totally crazy! I think back to the police office who wasn't provided funding for his brain tumour ($90,000/year), and here we find a serious criminal being funded at over $1 million. Insane! Where is the "cost-benefit" analysis? Why is our health system so flawed? Can the government assure us that there are no others "waiting" for this level of care? I bet there are other "innocents" being dropped off waiting lists so a criminal can get help! I'm not suggesting we be inhumane, but please, spend it on others who will add value to the economy over the next 20 years!
Clarrie Ross
I fully concur with the families sentiments. What is society becoming when we waste a million dollars on this murderer who is of no use to anyone? We have sick children and adults awaiting medical care through lack of funding and who potentially will be helpful members of the community. Not so this murderous thug. I really cannot understand the mindset of government and the goodie-goods of this country who think this guy deserves life saving surgery at the detriment of decent people. Where has good common sense gone? Bring back the death penalty.
Brandon (Auckland)
In terms of justice, society does not owe a life-destroying man a life-saving operation. Should society show mercy to the murderer? I suspect most of us would say it's merciful enough by far that he wasn't executed, gets to live out his days in a well-provisioned prison and will one day probably be eligible for parole. But can we afford to start drawing lines about whose life is worth preserving and whose isn't? Reihana seems to be the perfect candidate for drawing a line around, but I wonder whether we would have said the same about another convicted murderer, David Bain? That difficulty is why the death penalty was abolished.
LV
Another case where a scumbag law breaking mongrel gets all the rights while law abiding honest good decent people get nothing. He should be shown the same consideration that he gave his victims, which was none. Criminals should lose any rights once they are convicted. This scumbag Rehania deserves to be dead. I have no sympathy for him or his family. No sympathy should go to an animal like him. He shouldn't get any treatment. He should die a slow painful death, not get treatment. I hope his treatment is painful and he lives a miserable existence for the rest of his miserable life.
Alex. C (Melbourne)
Since when did New Zealand advocate the death penalty? This man is not receiving 1 million to spend on flash cars or houses. It will save his life so he can go back to prison and think about the terrible crime he committed for the next 20 or so years. The majority of the knee-jerk comments on this page are blood-thirsty and disturbing.
Charlie (Whangarei)
The victims suffered, so now its the murder's turn. I'm sure there are plenty of more deserving, law abiding people out there who need that same operation. Why is the New Zealand Government not taking care of these people? Why has the District Health Board allowed this to happen? I know he is a human being, but not a very nice one. Save someone who will make a difference in our country. Every day I lose faith in the New Zealand Government.
Whangarei
Another example of the Socialist Republic of NZ gone wrong.
Kel
An eye for an eye? How can you all be so horrible? If the world ran like that we would all die. Did anyone know a medic in any war? As far as I know from my history they would help the sick and wounded, from either side. Of course he is sick and deserves to be punished, but not in so brutal a manner. Wouldn't it be better that he does rot in jail than just let him die? What would you prefer, spend the rest of your life in a small room only getting to see outside on rare occasions, and that is behind giant fences or die? Let him have his treatment. Just make his family pay the debt.
Nick
Let him serve out his sentence first and then he can have the operation.
Lisa
Isn't there someone more deserving that this rat? Surely there is a points system for major surgery where you have to meet the criteria as there is for being allowed to live in NZ? I'm not saying that he shouldn't have the operation just that surely there are more deserving, as in people who haven't killed others, who have been waiting for just as long, or longer, who are as ill, who have dependants, who contribute to society in a worthwhile manner that should be higher on the list for operations such as this (or equally as important). Makes me angry as a lot of things do these days lets give dregs of society what they need and forget about the honest people in NZ.
John M (North Shore)
Will the Prime Minister wade into this one as quickly has she did the Muliaga saga and the Street from Hell? This is so sick. Unless there is any doubt about the man's guilt lets assume that fate (or God) has played a part. While my wife was dying from cancer either Pharmac or the health board withdrew a drug we knew was doing her good half way through her treatment. Where was the fairness in the system then? The liberal loonies running the country have dragged us into a mire where we let good people die in the name of equality while parasites and criminals flourish at our expense.
Live Life
How about putting him right at the bottom of the 'waiting list' for operations and hopefully after getting bumped off several times and put back to the beginning he might have died anyway and saved us all a lot of money. Reality is this is what happens to more than enough genuine people who do absolutely need life saving operations, by the time they get priority it is to late. The $1m cost would benefit a lot more far urgent cases, definitely not right that the taxpayer should foot this bill.
Ross
As Leo says it does stick in the craw but he has to have the treatment made available but he must go on the list like everyone else. Also, bone marrow treatment has no guarantee of success.
Geoff
Why not give him the operation? We've wasted so much money in recent years, why stop now. We're on a roll.
Cath
There is a big problem here see, NZ prides itself on having no death penalty. That's wonderful, but that means that murderers are incarcerated and their health and well-being becomes the responsibility of the Crown. It does mean that millions in tax earnings get spent on the health of murderers and rapists, but that is a side-effect of jailing criminals. It doesn't seem fair, but it is morally and legally right!
Carl (Auckland)
I agree with Mr Gunn, let this guy die from this disease, if that is his fate. Why should our hard earned taxpayer money be spent keeping alive someone who is a cancer on society? What a complete waste of money, this guy deserves nothing. What is the point of treating him? He contributes nothing to society, he is a taker. Why reward that sort of behaviour?
PaulS
Just another instance of the ridiculous PC rubbish that vindicates my decision to move my family overseas permanently.
Alan (Auckland)
He brutally murdered two people. He doesn't deserve the treatment. But I suppose all the 'do-gooders' will come to his defence.
Helen Stevens
Law and justice are not the same. He has broken the law and been sentenced for it by a court of law. However, justice has not been served. If justice was to be honoured in our world, the government would be getting all those who have not broken the law treatment ahead of those who have committed crimes, especially violent crimes. Are there no rewards for following the rules?
Rachel
It's outrageous that a murderer gets to have his life saved. Prisoners should not have special treatment. I have a knee problem and can't get free treatment so how can he get it all for free? I bet he gets bumped up the list as well when there are good citizens out there being asked to wait. This country sucks.
Murray M
Well, well, how do we balance the desire for revenge with the human compassion many think we should show? But here is another suggestion. Why should we or the state make the decision? Put it to the low-life himself. Ask him to make the decision. One way of atoning for his crime and showing remorse would be for him to make a decision not to have this operation at our expense. I am sure many would respect such an offering. But somehow I don't think he would have the intestinal fortitude to take this step. After all, he is scum and a low life, and since when have scum and low lives shown any consideration for others.
Ronesh R
The Prime Minister refused to meet the Dalai Lama because she wants to have a better trade relationship with China. Maybe its time NZ's government took more of China's view on its policies regarding prisoners and capital punishment, even USA executes prisoners. I do not want my money spent on a murderer and I am sure no one else does.
Mere
Surely keeping him alive to have him suffer in jail is better than him taking death as the easy way out although I don't think we as taxpayers should fund the medical bill.
Wayne
Give him what the father says, that mongrel does not deserve anything from our community while other sick people cannot get treatment. He made his choice.
Rusty72 (Waihi)
Shoot the bugger, and all the politicians with him. I am sick to death of hearing about inmates being treated like royalty. I still believe in the old saying, 'an eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth'. There are a lot more worthy people out there, waiting for life saving operations, than scum like him. Spend the million dollars and on the survivors of these atrocities.
Bree (Mangere East)
I do not agree with this person getting any free help especially from my taxes. This is incredibly disgusting, there are people out there that haven't committed any crimes that have been sitting on the waiting list for operations like these. I also do not think that a person or family donating organs would want to give their organs to this disgusting person. I am very angry and disappointed if this person gets treatment.
Kim H (Sydney)
Refusing him an operation and letting him die would be tantamount to criminal neglect (no pun intended), but letting him live is a waste of money. So from a legal standpoint there isn't much choice. In the case of this animal, I'd prefer to see him die.
JK
I wholeheartedly support David Gunn's view. Why should we pay over $1mil to have this scum stay alive when it's to the detriment of society as a whole. For too long a soft-line has been taken on hard-line offenders, only to see them commit more offences upon release time and time again they are not the victims, we are!
Leo (Auckland)
It might stick in one's craw, but of course he should receive appropriate medical treatment. Since when did we have the death penalty?
Rhea
The state certainly wouldn't gift me $1 million of treatment if I had cancer. This cannot be justified when you think of all those women who will only receive a few weeks of Herceptin treatment from the state, and have to pay the rest of the horrendously costly bill themselves in order to continue living for their families and loved ones who need them.
Sue
Unbelievable! Once again the criminal gets looked after while the victims are forgotten.
Gavin
It's utterly disgusting and vile that he can be eligible for this treatment. Many New Zealanders who are genuine and are in desperate need should be next in line. This guy can rot in hell. He's a convicted double murderer, and has karma kicking his butt giving him cancer, let him endure this excruciating pain and don't give him this treatment and let him suffer.
What an injustice! Look at the cost of this valuable treatment - $1million! This should be given to someone who deserves it, not a convicted criminal. He shouldn't be given any rights, since he's taken the rights of two human lives. This is typical NZ justice, giving the callous criminals more rights than the victims.