PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Welfare
Overdue Welfare Reforms A Good Start
Libertarianz Party leader Richard McGrath today praised the National Party's plans to overhaul the state disability
welfare system, saying it was a "good first step".
"Getting beneficiaries, whatever their level of disability, into some form of sustainable work is an extremely positive
move, and the government should be congratulated on this policy. One does, however, have to ask why these reforms
weren't wheeled out three years ago when National entered office."
"The Libertarianz Party has a suggestion for an immediate change to taxpayer-funded sickness and invalid benefit
eligibility: those on benefits related to the self-destructive consumption of drugs should have to undergo frequent
random blood and urine drug testing, at their own expense, and if drugs linked to any existing health problems were
found in their system, the benefit would be chopped."
"Thus, people with respiratory disorders attributable to cigarette smoking would have their benefit cancelled if they
continued to smoke. People with alcohol and drug problems who failed to engage in treatment programmes and adhere to the
expectations of the programmes would also be tossed off public welfare."
Dr McGrath said the days of "unconditional, open-ended financial entitlements" were over and beneficiaries could expect
to come under intense scrutiny in return for receiving money stripped from productive New Zealanders.
"The country can ill afford to continue with the welfare system in its current form," he said. "There needs to be
greater accountability by welfare recipients to justify their handouts, and consequences for people who abuse the
system."
"Asset sales could fund annuities linked to a particular individual, for the permanently disabled. It is bizarre Phil
Goff should be opposing asset sales when the Labour Government in which he was senior minister sold billions of dollars
worth of state enterprises in the late 1980s even after Roger Douglas was replaced as finance minister."
For more information, see www.libertarianz.org.nz or contact:
ENDS