"New" policy from Luxon, National

[king1]

if "actively managed" includes dealing with any mental health issues before pulling the rug out from under people, then yes, that works.  But you don't help people, who may be already struggling emotionally, by coming down heavy handed on them - all it does is lead to deeper and darker thought processes...  Not everyone is blessed with a positive mental attitude.

Of course.  But sitting back and doing nothing for a large number of clients isn't helping them.  The time to focus on people is the first 3 or 4 months afterbtgey become unemllyed because that is the time they are most motivated.  What we have presently is clients being left for up to 12 months before any management is started.  By then their mental state is low.

If you consider that an economy can never have zero unemployment and NZ currently has the lowest unemployment in 20 years or so, it stands to reason that those still remaining on the jobseeker benefit will be those that have other factors affecting their ability to work.