8 Dec 2017

Focus on Politics for 8 December 2017

From Focus on Politics, 6:38 pm on 8 December 2017

While different parties have flagged work schemes for the young unemployed in the past, talk about a 'work for the dole' programme from the New Zealand First minister Shane Jones has put the cat among the political pigeons. Labour moved quickly to assure New Zealanders no-one would be forced to work for the benefit rate, but they would get the minimum wage. Shane Jones' pronouncement also sparked a debate about the position of various government parties on welfare sanctions. Here's our political editor, Jane Patterson.