Beneficiaries forced to pay for their own drug tests to disqualify them from benefits

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welfare
No Right Turn makes a devastating discovery that beneficiaries will be forced to pay for their own drug tests.

Let’s just consider that, forget about why the very same politicians passing these laws shouldn’t also be forced to be drug tested (what’s more damaging a drunk Politician passing laws or an unemployed stoner?), how malicious is policy that forces beneficiaries to take drug tests that will disqualify them from the benefit AND make them pay for that drug test as well.

These policies are not about helping get people into work, they are designed to purposely disqualify people from welfare and what happens to them once they have been thrown off welfare is no longer the Governments responsibility.

Add these new measures to disqualify with the desire to tag the children of beneficiaries as young as 3 at kindergartens so Paula can disqualify parents for not getting their children to day care on time shows these measures have nothing to do with the welfare of the child and everything to do with the cost cutting punishment of the parent.

National and Paula Bennet are creating ‘unpeople’, NZers invisible via disqualification to being recorded on welfare so that these gerrymandered stats can be paraded around as some sort of success.

All National are doing is hiding our poverty with no solution more nuanced than the stick.

This is economic Darwinism.

23 COMMENTS

  1. It’s not even a very economically sound idea when you balance it up against the cost of increased poor health and increased crime these measures will surely bring. There is a distinct echo of Margaret Thatcher’s “There is no such thing as society” rhetoric in the policies that the present government is passing now. I used to roll my eyes a little when someone mentioned fascism in connection to our country – now I am genuinely shocked that this is the road we are clearly on.

  2. I’d like to know how much each drug test will cost the beneficiary and if they have to go for a new drug test every time they apply for a job that requires one.

    Apart from anything else, I don’t think these people have any idea how hard it is for people on low incomes and benefits to find money for these sorts of things. There’s a lot of people, for instance, who desperately need dental care who can’t afford it, as illustrated by the huge numbers of people who have turned up for free dental care days at Lumino Dentists.

    • Where the hell is the opposition on this? What is the point of a Labour party that stays quiet on such draconian policies? They are becoming a waste of space and I am thinking they should be disbanded so all the labour supporters can vote green.

      • Labour probably supports these policies. They didn’t up the benefit rate after National cut it and Shearer put out a speech based upon an unfounded rumor about a sickness beneficiary painting his roof.

      • The reason Labour is so quiet is that they consist of just as many Neo Liberals as National and Act do. Thats why David Cunliff was side lined, he being a reflection of old labour. Labour is now further to the right than Muldoon era National.

    • The queue to get into Greenlane clinic centre to have your teeth yanked every day with people turned away is also an indication of the dental problem, given that lots of people have no idea you can even go there. I don’t think they actually do any dental work other than yank teeth. We need to move to free dental care, they have some of this in the UK

  3. This must be why they are building more prisons… which are PPPs so more private individuals make money off the scheme.

    Pretty soon we will have people going to prison for stealing a loaf of bread. Sound familiar? It’s how Western nations were set up in the 1700s, which eventually caused the riots in France, how Australia got populated and why so many pioneers chanced a precarious life in New Zealand.

    Literally history repeating itself over again. Sigh.

  4. This has to be discriminatory? Either everyone is drug-tested – or else insisting that welfare recipients are tested simply because of their status, is illegal.

    I look forward to it being tested in Court.

  5. This is nuts.. I can understand the rationale slightly re: drug testing for jobs, but making beneficiaries pay for it is, as frank says, discrimination at the least and a scam would probably be the more accurate term. Maybe if they are forced to pay, and come through the test clean, they should get double the payment?

    • I’d look to see where they are sourcing the testing kits. I suspect that would be very interesting.

  6. Everyone who lives anywhere near any MSD or Tory electorate office should piss in a bottle and deliver it for testing, preferably on a daily basis. As for the electorate offices of Labour politicians who won’t stand against this, I suggest something more solid. Drop samples off at Parliament. Void our bladders for a better world!!

  7. This is a total disrespect for human rights. Denying people the right to work, eat, feed their kids or even survive in any way. We have now introduced the death sentance for those who have small trace elements of thc, (not a seriously dangerous substance) in their system. It has been justified through the current right wing controlled media, including tvnz and most newspapers. Most nzers heads are now filled with shit. What about caring for fellow countrymen, what happened to our freedom? Bring on the protests! I’M IN

  8. Ok so my understanding is their benefit will be cut if they are able to apply for a job that requires a drug test and they refuse the drug test.
    So they would be choosing to take a drug over the job?
    Put it this way.
    Myself and a few friends found ourselves living in Western Australia where in the trades industry drug testing is commonplace.
    We all said no to Marijuana from then on and once passed said tests continued to say no as we wanted that job more than the drug.
    It is standard industry practice to charge for the drug test only if you fail it.
    We all recognised that work and a healthy bank balance was more important than any drug.
    Also anyone applying for said job is drug tested not just beneficiaries and anyone that fails drug test has to pay for it not just beneficiaries.
    Maybe just take some personal responsibility and accept that due to current life circumstances, recreational drugs are not an option.
    I can assure you that life without drugs is actually ok.

    • one last thing, this goes to the top and all corporates must blow into an alcohol reader when returning to work from lunch breaks everyday.

      • Where does this “Go to the top”?
        Not here!
        Which banker do you know that has to give a urine sample?
        Which lawyer?
        Which politician?

        • If you read my comment it states I live in WA.
          I really don’t understand why people think its right wing to expect people not to come to work under the influence of drugs or alcohol. How would people feel if the school bus driver drove their kids on the bus stoned over everyday. And for those who smoke you know that yes you can still be a bit out of it the next day if you smoke too much.

          • No sorry weed wears of quicker than alcohol there are no stone overs idiot. But we seem to be perfectly ok if a schoolbus driver drinks the night before. It is a right wing policy, what are you trying to prove dickhead

    • That was your choice.. You are agreeing with a far right wing policy, why should people have to give up what they enjoy for some white collar tory prick? When jobs get you nowhere anyway due to low wages and discrimination?

      • Because insurance companies will not cover public liability or work place accidents unless you meet the terms and conditions of the insurance policy. Which part of is no one is to operate machinery or tools under the influence of drugs or alcohol. So if you want the job that’s what you have to do. If you want to be in the construction industry don’t get high. You don’t get drug tested for office work.

  9. This would be bloody marvelous if all you had to do to get a job is pass a drug test – ah but it isn’t – my suspicion is it is actually revenue gathering from people who have no money ie. squeezing blood from a stone

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