By Ingrid Hipkiss
Social Development Minister Paula Bennett says thousands collecting sickness and invalid benefits are well enough to work, and their benefits will be halved or cut altogether if they don't look for a job.
Ms Bennett says the Government will introduce compulsory work-testing for invalids and sickness beneficiaries.
Since 1995 the number of New Zealanders who say they're not well enough to work has doubled, and 147,000 people now receive the sickness or invalids benefit.
Ms Bennett this morning told TV3's The Nation that many just aren't that sick, and should get a job.
"Nine thousand people that are on the sickness benefit, the doctor thinks they can work part-time, we at the moment do nothing about."
That's about to change - from May next year if a doctor says you're well enough to work, and you don't, your benefit will be halved.
Still not making an effort? You'll lose the lot.
"We're not saying everyone on day one is going to find a job, but yes you're not going to find one if you're not looking," says Ms Bennett, "so we're asking people to look."
Two thousand, seven hundred of them applied for 150 jobs at a single supermarket last week, proof beneficiaries advocate Sue Bradford says it's the job market that needs fixing, not the welfare system.
"One hundred and sixty thousand officially unemployed - where are all these jobs for the sick, injured and disabled going to come from?" she asks.
And on another controversial topic, Ms Bennett called on iwi leaders to face up to the issue of child abuse.
Official statistics show that more Maori abuse their kids than non-Maori, and Ms Bennett says some Maori mums now accept abuse as the norm.
"I think they have a low sense of value and self-esteem, and quite frankly they're letting some pieces of filth into their lives that are hurting their children," she says.
Ms Bennett signalled new initiatives to tackle Maori child abuse in the coming weeks and more options for welfare reform in the coming months - classic National touch-stone policies.
3 News