Gangs, meth houses and anti-vaxxers are targeted in National's social services policy proposal, which also explores the prospect of putting a time limit on the dole for people under 25.
The National Party's Social Services Discussion Document released on Wednesday - the party's fifth so far - asks the public for feedback on a range of proposals around welfare, social housing, poverty, children and parental care.
National leader Simon Bridges said he understands that "sometimes people need help to get back on their feet", but that help is "paid for through the taxes paid by all New Zealanders - so there needs to be accountability and obligations met in return".
Some of National's proposed policies:
- making sure gang members and associates cannot exploit taxpayer support
- returning the sanction for sole parents who don't name the liable parent
- not giving the benefit to parents who don't vaccinate their children
- ensuring paid parental leave can be split between parents and taken at the same time
- requiring young people up to the age of 18 to be in education
- introducing a time limit on the dole for people under the age of 25
- increasing access for women seeking contraceptive advice and services
- making sure tenants who contaminate a house with meth be notified to the police and Oranga Tamariki if children are involved
- introducing a target of having 90 percent of pregnant women register with a Lead Maternity Carer in their first trimester
- lifting the age of entitlement from 65 to 67 in 2037 (already announced)
The more than 50 pages document proposes a lot of changes, which seem to try and strike a balance between encouraging people to work for their income but also recognise that sometimes circumstances are beyond a person's control.
Bridges teased some of the party's policy on Tuesday night, confirming the party will block gangs members from receiving a benefit if they can't prove they don't have illegal income or assets.
But that's only a small party of what National wants to change. The discussion document includes returning the sanction for sole parents "who don't name the liable parent", which was removed by the Government in May.
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However, the document says National agrees with increasing the abatement threshold in line with minimum wage increases - that's the reduction of beneficiaries' payments when they earn more money.
National also wants to help people with their debt to government departments and is considering "better ways to both make payments manageable for the individual and improve collection rates".
The party also wants to improve the way agencies work together to "support people exiting prisons to ensure they have a best chance at independence and lower the risk of them reoffending".
It's also proposing to keep people in work when circumstances or needs change, for example offering reduced hours for a temporary period during an illness so they keep their job.
Education requirements
National wants to make a requirement that young people up to the age of 18 to be in education, training or employment, and their parents would be held accountable.
It's asking for feedback on this proposed policy, with questions such as: "What incentives could be put in place to keep young people in education or training up to 18?"
Social housing
National wants to focus on the "top five areas of demand in the country" for social housing, while "acknowledging that some areas - often rural and provincial - will also need tailored solutions to their particular needs".
The party is also asking for feedback on whether the Government should underwrite the building of social houses, holding the risk for Community Housing Providers, allowing them to build more homes.
National's housing spokesperson Judith Collins has consistently slammed the Government over the KiwiBuild underwrite scheme.
Newshub revealed last month that more than $8 million had been spent buying back homes no one wanted from developers.
Meth houses
National's policy document also suggests that if tenants have contaminated a house with meth, they should be automatically notified to the Police and, if children are present, Oranga Tamariki.
That's despite the Government having to pay out around $440,000 last year to compensate tenants who were wrongly evicted from Housing New Zealand homes after meth testing standards changed.
'No jab, no pay'
National is also proposing a "no jab, no pay" policy similar to Australia.
The policy was considered by National when it was in power, but then-Social Development Minister Paula Bennett said it would breach people's right to refuse medical treatment.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern last month ruled out benefit cuts for New Zealanders who do not vaccinate their children in the midst of the measles outbreak, despite promising results in Australia.
Parents and children
To help new mums, National wants to introduce a target of having 90 percent of pregnant women register with a Lead Maternity Carer in their first trimester.
It would also increase postnatal stay to three days in a postnatal facility of the mum's choosing, and ensure paid parental leave can be split between parents and taken at the same time.
Another idea is to increase the number of home visits in the first six months of a child's life.
Increased access for women seeking contraceptive advice and services is another National Party policy, including extending free access to Long Acting Reversible Contraception and fund Intrauterine Devices.
Newshub.
