The Labour Government's rightwing Social Security Amendment Bill is coming into opposition from Christian social services providers, unions, and even the Treasury. The bill would implement a rigid sanctions-based regime for Work and Income to apply to beneficiaries to increase the pressure on them to seek work or education. The CTU's Ross Wilson says unions are apprehensive about the bill, Treasury has questioned whether the $100m expense is justified, and the Christian Council of Social Services says it would achieve little and that it would be better to work with beneficiaries rather than take a punitive approach.
Labour appears to be trying to quietly introduce a sanctions-based work-for-the-dole type system, no doubt in order to ward of criticisms from National that the Government is too soft on beneficiaries. Yet, National is also critical that Labour has done little consultation with the groups and communities affected.
