"Missed the point": National responds to criticism of beneficiary drug testing policy

National's Social Development spokesperson says drug testing is already normal for a number of jobs, so Jobseekers should meet the same expectation.  

The Party's promising introduce random drug testing for people on the Jobseeker benefit and reduce payments for those who've been on it more than two years.  

Louise Upston says they'll start with 10 thousand tests in the first year and expand over time. 

She told Mike Hosking she was surprised by Winston Peters' claim it borders on fascism, NZ First are the ones that talk about getting people off the couch, which is what they're trying to do. 

Upston says they don't want young people wasting their lives on welfare, and for some drug use is a barrier to work, and that's what they want to prevent. 

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