The owner of a Bay of Plenty hostel has introduced a $50 bond just for Kiwis in the wake of "unruly" behaviour at the accommodation.
Mount Backpackers owner Jo Veale bought the business back in February and introduced the fee following a spate of offensive incidents involving Kiwis.
Those not travelling on international passports now have to pay extra, including people using the hostel as emergency housing.
Ms Veale told Newshub the acts that prompted the Kiwi bond included vandalism, fighting, verbal abuse, swearing at staff, vomiting, dealing drugs, smearing faeces in the bathroom and threats of murder.
"Imagine typical bullish, unruly behaviour, Kiwis just can't handle their alcohol."
"It's all to do with the binge drinking culture," she said.
Ms Veale said behaviour has improved since the introduction of the fee.
"People don't want to lose their bond, money speaks."
In New Zealand, accommodation providers can't discriminate by race or nationality by denying entry, so Ms Veale introduced the bond as a makeweight.
Ms Veale said her accommodation was also not at all suitable for emergency housing, despite Work and Income (WINZ) placing it on its emergency accommodation list.
"I'm not a hard-nosed business person, we're just not equipped for emergency housing."
Newshub.
