Pubdate: Thu, 13 Mar 2003
Source: New Zealand Press Association (New Zealand Wire)
Copyright: 2003 New Zealand Press Association
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/testing.htm (Drug Testing)

NO COMPULSORY DRUG TESTING FOR BENEFICIARIES

National leader Bill English said today he would not support compulsory 
drug testing of beneficiaries but believed drug use was a problem for those 
on welfare.

As the party looks at welfare reform, National MP Maurice Williamson, the 
party's lowest-ranked MP, has suggested beneficiaries should be tested for 
drugs.

Mr Williamson said it was legal to test employees and sportspeople for 
drugs "but because you're sitting there doing nothing and smoking wacky 
baccy on the unemployment (benefit) we can't".

"So the suggestion simply was, 'why don't we make that available? I'm not 
talking about testing everybody all the time but every now and then, 
someone whose proving to be a serious problem case."

Mr English told National Radio today he did not support compulsory drug 
testing for beneficiaries but there was "no doubt" that drugs were part of 
the "cocktail of disadvantage and problems" that beneficiaries, 
particularly young people, had.

He recently visited a work training scheme and had been told addiction was 
a problem for all the under-20-year-olds on that scheme.

Mr English said he had no problem with Mr Williamson speaking out, saying 
many National MPs would be raising ideas as the party debated core issues 
such as welfare.

"Where we're heading with welfare is to explore a whole range of ideas 
because from National's point of view the status quo is simply unacceptable."

There were 350,000 beneficiaries in New Zealand, which was "far too many". 
Living on welfare was a "subsistence" existence where there was not much 
hope or choices.
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MAP posted-by: Terry Liittschwager