"New" policy from Luxon, National

[king1]

I'm fairly sure that no one here needs your permission to comment.

https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/...O3USjqRED0

"A welfare advocate says National's proposed overhaul of the Jobseeker benefit should focus on supporting mental health needs instead of rushing people into work.

But the proposed policy hasn't gone down well with beneficiary advocate Karen Pattie, who said it is a recipe for failure.

"The only outcome from sanctions is either crime or hungry people," she said.

The latest figures show there are about 13,000 18 to 24-year-olds who've been receiving the Jobseeker benefit for more than a year. Nearly 8000 of those are work-ready and the other 5500 are receiving it for health or disability reasons.

Pattie said the focus should be on supporting mental health needs instead of rushing people into work.

"That's what needs to be addressed to enable these young people to feel confident enough to go back into a job," she said."

So 8000 of them should be actively seeking work.  When you are unemployed you have just 1 job - and that is get employed.  They should be actively managed to do this.  In this case will actually be rewarded for gwtting a job and for staying employed.

if "actively managed" includes dealing with any mental health issues before pulling the rug out from under people, then yes, that works.  But you don't help people, who may be already struggling emotionally, by coming down heavy handed on them - all it does is lead to deeper and darker thought processes...  Not everyone is blessed with a positive mental attitude.