Sabin Mike: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to MinistersText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeSabin Mike: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers[Sitting date: 09 April 2013. Volume:689;Page:9123. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]5.MIKE SABIN (National—Northland) to theMinister for Social Development: How are the Government’s welfare changes ensuring a fairer welfare system and tackling long-term welfare dependence?Hon PAULA BENNETT (Minister for Social Development): These changes will deliver real change transforming New Zealand’s welfare system into an active and work-focused approach. A key part of reforms is that the focus is on not only those who are currently long-term beneficiaries but more important those who are most likely to turn out to be long-term beneficiaries. The investment approach gives us information like we have never had before. This will mean that we can spend extra money on extra support where it will make the biggest difference.Mike Sabin: What changes are being introduced to ensure welfare is work-focused?Hon PAULA BENNETT: Alongside the significant changes through the investment approach we are also making sensible changes that are long overdue. Those who have a current warrant out for their arrest and who are avoiding the police will have their benefit cancelled. We will now require job seekers to be drug-free. Up until now people could decline to apply for an available drug-tested job because they would not pass the test—without a consequence. It is a straightforward expectation: drug use should not get in the way of getting a job if you are on a benefit.Mike Sabin: What reports has she received about the new work focus requirements?Hon PAULA BENNETT: Over 40 percent of the jobs that come in through Work and Income require a drug test. Last week in Dunedin I spoke with two of the large employers for the South Island. Both of these employers drug test and said how much of a difference this will make for them. We also know that in Canterbury as part of the reconstruction work most of the jobs that are there require people to pass a drug test prior to employment. It is a straightforward expectation and one that I am surprised that the Opposition is not on board with because this will help people get work.Jacinda Ardern: How many more individuals will have extra work-testing obligations under her welfare reforms and how does this compare with the number of jobs created by her Government?Hon PAULA BENNETT: What the Opposition does not get is that it is not actually the Government that creates jobs; it is businesses. Unless someone in a town or in a city turns round and says that they want to take on someone extra then that person cannot get a job. So what happened in the 2000s was that Labour in Government tried to magic up a whole pile of jobs and what happened was that when things got tough people fell out of them and had to go on to welfare. We have seen an increase in those who will be work tested. If they cannot find a job they will not be sanctioned they will not face any penalties—but you will not find a job unless you are looking for one.Jacinda Ardern: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker.Mr SPEAKER: Point of order—[Interruption] Point of order—[Interruption] Order! The point of order will be heard in silence.Jacinda Ardern: The Government’s own Budget statements claimed that there would be 170000 jobs under this Government. I do not think it is unfair to ask for the Minister to produce under a straight question some straight numbers around how many more people—Mr SPEAKER: Order! That is not a point of order. That is not a point of order; the question was addressed.