Heatley Phil: Social Security (Benefit Categories and Work Focus) Amendment Bill — Third ReadingText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeHeatley Phil: Social Security (Benefit Categories and Work Focus) Amendment Bill — Third Reading[Sitting date: 09 April 2013. Volume:689;Page:9185. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]Hon PHIL HEATLEY (National—Whangarei): I rise in support of this legislation the Social Security (Benefit Categories and Work Focus) Amendment Bill and I too would like to congratulate the Minister for Social Development Paula Bennett her officials and all those who have inputted into this legislation over a long period of time. I am disappointed of course to hear the calls from the Opposition asking the Minister to “front up”—the Minister who fronts up everywhere. She fronts up in the city fronts up in the provinces and is fronting up on television in the House to small meetings to large meetings—everywhere and anywhere across the country and has done so for a long time. In fact we have not seen a Minister of welfare fronting up so much in so many places for so long and talking about the hard decisions so I would like to congratulate the Minister on that and also on seeing this bill through—accepting where changes were necessary hardening where it was necessary softening where it was necessary and understanding that the legislation needs to land where it meets people in a practical way.This bill does amend the Social Security Act 1964. It introduces new benefit categories and has a very work-focused approach. Interestingly even the Opposition is calling it the “investment approach” as it can see too that it is an investment in these people’s futures the beneficiaries’ futures as much as it is in New Zealand’s future.The aim of the bill is to make key changes—probably five of them you could say. There is a new system of main benefits to embed a work focus throughout the whole benefit system. The jobseeker support benefit replaces the unemployment benefit the sickness benefit the domestic purposes benefit for solo parents whose youngest child is 14 years old or older and a number of other benefits as well. It delivers a new approach to working with people in the benefit system who are either sick or disabled.It introduces drug-testing requirements where a beneficiary is referred to a job or a training programme where drug testing is a prerequisite and of course there are financial sanctions if they do not pass that test. It is just stunning to think that the Labour Party is telling New Zealanders up and down the country—even on television tonight—that it is OK to apply for a job and actually be full of drugs to have your blood system and breath showing drugs and that it is OK to do that. The Labour Party is so focused on its philosophical standpoints that it stands in front of New Zealanders and Kiwis up and down the nation and says to beneficiaries who are receiving taxpayer-funded support that it is OK that their bloodstreams are full of dope; that when they apply for a job particularly where health and safety is a certain requirement it is OK that they have taken drugs. It is just unbelievable that Labour thinks that one could pass muster in the court of public opinion. Anyway go for your life Labour Party. Keep pushing that barrow.The other aspect that the bill is looking to change of course is using the welfare system to reinforce some important social norms regarding children’s education and health. For example a beneficiary who has a child needs to ensure that the child is enrolled and attending early childhood education enrolled and attending school when they are 5 or 6—if that is the correct age—and enrolled with a primary health care provider and up to date with core Well Child checks. We think that it is very very important that those children from beneficiary households get a good start.Last of all the fifth aspect is stopping benefit payments to beneficiaries with a warrant of arrest that remains unresolved after 28 days. In other words if you have got a warrant for arrest the police are pursuing you and you are on a benefit then indeed with fair warning and your awareness of the situation—certainly you would be given that chance—your benefit could be cut.Again the Labour Party is convincing New Zealanders or has been trying to convince them over the last few months that it is OK to get involved in crime to run from the law to run from police to be involved in serious crime in one way or another and to still receive taxpayer support. Well good luck with that one too! I would not say you are in touch with New Zealand but I would say that most taxpayers and those who are on benefits themselves who lead quiet lives would not think that it is fair that we should be paying benefits to people who are on drugs and not passing drug tests and who are also running away from the law. I commend this bill to the House.