Luxon focuses on ending ‘free ride’
National Party leader Christopher Luxon says his policy for getting young people off benefits shows National cares more about unemployed people than any other party.
Luxon outlined a three-prong policy for unemployment at the National Party annual conference on Sunday.
He earned enthusiastic applause from party faithful in Christchurch, with his carrot and stick approach to welfare.
He said a National government would give every unemployment beneficiary under 25 years old an active case manager, with requirements of face-to-face meetings.
He also criticised the Labour Government and Ministry of Social Development for sanctioning beneficiaries less, saying those who did not follow their case manager’s back-towork plans would ‘‘face sanctions’’ under National.
Alongside that stick, Luxon said there would be a carrot in the National Party welfare plan.
He proposed giving $1000 to any under 25-year-old who stayed in work for a year, having previously been on a benefit for 12 months.
‘‘To young people who don’t want to work: You might have a free ride under Labour but under National it ends,’’ Luxon said on Sunday.
Speaking at social welfare charity Visionwest yesterday, Luxon said his focus on ending the ‘‘free ride’’ for young beneficiaries showed he ‘‘cared’’ more about them than the Labour Government. ‘‘We don’t want to give up on those young people.
‘‘We care deeply about young people. We care deeply about people,’’ he said.
The Visionwest charity delivers a range of social services in West Auckland, including social housing, employment workshops, healthcare and a foodbank.