Sabin Mike: Social Security (Benefit Categories and Work Focus) Amendment Bill — First Reading 
Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume 
Sabin Mike: Social Security (Benefit Categories and Work Focus) Amendment Bill — First Reading 
[Sitting date: 20 September 2012. Volume:684;Page:5537. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.] 
MIKE SABIN (National—Northland) 
: 
 I am very pleased to stand in support of this particular bill the Social Security (Benefit Categories and Work Focus) Amendment Bill. We have heard from the other side about politicking. If we want to fix welfare then we should fix the economy. Yet the Labour Party and the Greens will oppose every move that this Government has to grow the economy. Well I say that those members cannot continue to run with the foxes and hunt with the hounds. New Zealanders have woken up to that. We also hear about blame and that this bill is about blame. Well we say on this side of the House that this bill is about overcoming barriers to work and ensuring that people get into work. They also say there are no jobs. Well I challenge any of those members to come up to my electorate and do something else other than have fish and chips at the Mangonui fish shop and have a few photos taken. I challenge them to actually talk to local employers—talk to local employers. What they will find is that local employers want to employ local people but those local people would rather not be employed. That is a rather unacceptable situation. 
This bill is a fundamental change in welfare. We say that if someone can work they should work and in simple terms that means that if an individual is on a benefit it is because they do not have a job. Therefore the focus of welfare should be about getting people into work not about finding the appropriate benefit category and just leaving them there to sit there and get on with it. This bill brings about three very very important changes which underpin what this fundamental change in focus is about: the three job benefit types—jobseeker support sole parent support and supported living payment. This bill will extend the work focus far wider than it has been to some 150000 New Zealanders as opposed to the 50000 currently on the unemployment benefit. Job seekers will have work-ready requirements. A very good example of that is that those who are being work tested for jobs that require a drug test will have to pass a drug test. If they do not there will be sanctions and if they fail to comply there is a possibility of benefit cancellation. That is about consequences for actions. If it is good enough for New Zealanders out there working in the workforce to be drug free then I say it is good enough for those on a benefit who are having their finances supported by the taxpayer to be drug free as well. 
This bill will introduce social obligations and they are about supporting vulnerable children in real terms. Children over 3 will have to be enrolled in early childhood education where that can be the case. Children aged 5 and 6 will have to be in school. Those on a benefit will have to have their children enrolled in health care and we will also ensure that the health-care checks are being done. For parents who are on a benefit this is a positive thing. If they comply it is a win-win; if they do not then we will be asking questions as to why not. This is about really addressing vulnerable children rather than thinking that if we provide a lunch and a breakfast then somehow we are acting in the best interests of those children relieving their parents of any responsibility. 
This bill will also go on to ensure that those with a warrant to arrest will have their benefit cut. Of course the Labour Party and the Greens want to fund those criminals on the run and to maintain their taxpayer-funded evasion of the consequences of their criminal activities. The Greens will oppose this legislation. That is what we have come to expect of them. The Labour Party will oppose this legislation. That sends a very important message to New Zealanders. As long as that is the message it sends to New Zealanders then that party will be wearing out the leather on the seats on that side of the House. I fully commend this bill to the House.