Luxon open to drug-testing MPs as National proposes random testing for beneficiaries

National leader Christopher Luxon says he is open to drug-testing MPs as his party proposes to introduce random drug testing of beneficiaries and Jobseeker benefit cuts by as much as $81 per week.

It follows the coalition Government’s decision to end Jobseeker payments to 18- and 19-year-olds whose parents earn more than $65,000 coming into force next month.

The party’s social development spokeswoman Louise Upston today argued that National’s new five-point plan focused the welfare system on directing beneficiaries towards employment and ensuring the system was “fair and affordable for taxpayers”, insisting it isn’t “about punishing someone because they haven’t found a job”.

The first of National’s five initiatives was to introduce random drug testing, proposing 10,000 tests in the first year and increasing in later years.

Under the policy, Upston said a first failed test would be recorded and a second fail would result in a clinical alcohol and drug assessment. If beneficiaries did not comply with the assessment, they could face sanctions including benefit cuts.

National’s policy document estimated the cost of the drug-testing scheme to be about $1.5 million per year and expected it to be funded from the Ministry of Social Development’s baselines.

The party also wanted to reduce the Jobseeker benefit for those who had accessed it for two of the previous three years.

Proposed to come into force from April 2028, recipients without children would have their benefit cut by $48.05 per week based on current figures.

Couples without children would receive $552.18 a week, an effective reduction of $81.76 per week. Recipients with dependent children would face a smaller cut of $24.02 per week.

The party noted actual reductions would reflect Jobseeker rates in 2028, after annual increases to reflect inflation over the next two years.

The change was expected to save a future National-led Government $572m over the four-year forecast period, almost all of the total plan’s estimated savings of $583m.

The remaining three items of National’s plan included doubling the non-entitlement period for beneficiaries who repeatedly leave employment without a sufficient reason from 13 weeks to 26 weeks, extending the minimum residence period to qualify for main benefits from two years to five years and providing more “work-focused support” for 30,000 jobseekers who have been on the benefit for more than a year.

“This isn’t about punishing someone because they haven’t found a job,” Upston said in a statement.

“It’s about making sure people receiving Jobseeker Support meet reasonable expectations to be ready for work, which also helps ensure it is fair to hardworking taxpayers who fund the system.”

Upston and Luxon fronted the policy announcement in Kapiti this morning.

Asked if he would be open to MPs facing random drug tests, Luxon said he was “fine” with it but clarified it wasn’t National policy. He acknowledged he expected such a question following today’s announcement.

Luxon suggested he was open to funding more places in rehabilitation if demand increased as a result of the alcohol and drug assessments.

Upston explained the proposed 2028 Jobseeker cuts would apply to some beneficiaries suffering from health conditions but said it would not apply to those deemed unable to work like those battling cancer.

Next month, an estimated 4300 18- and 19-year-olds with parents earning more than $65,000 will no longer be able to access the Jobseeker benefit under changes from the coalition Government.

In July under questioning from Green MP Ricardo Menedez-March in the House, Upston acknowledged about 1800 of them had a psychological or psychiatric condition.

Adam Pearse is the Deputy Political Editor and part of the NZ Herald’s Press Gallery team based at Parliament in Wellington. He has worked for NZME since 2018, reporting for the Northern Advocate in Whangārei and the Herald in Auckland.