ACT leader David Seymour has announced welfare policy changes emphasising work obligations and presented a proposal to restructure government by reducing departments from 43 to 19 at a party rally at Shed 10 on Auckland's waterfront.
The party proposes reducing the number of ministers from 28 to 18, with a single minister overseeing each department. Ministers would hire chief executives on fixed-term contracts and could terminate them for inadequate performance or differences over policy direction, although terminated executives would keep the option to return to junior public service roles. Operational independence for Police, the Security Intelligence Service and Defence Force would be safeguarded through legislation.
ACT's welfare changes would mandate that all health and disability benefits be independently approved by designated doctors vetted by the Ministry of Social Development, although GPs and specialists could still contribute medical histories and clinical evidence. Assessment decisions would be determined by specific objective standards instead of individual judgment. Recipients of Health Condition or Disability and Supported Living payments would undergo re-evaluation using updated criteria, starting with mental health benefit approvals issued after the pandemic.
Jobseeker Support Work Ready recipients who stay on benefits for more than four months would be placed on electronic payment cards that permit spending on groceries, rent, power, transport, health and childcare but restrict purchases of alcohol, tobacco, gambling services and cash withdrawals. Alternative arrangements would apply where funds management creates safety concerns or prevents access to necessities.
"New Zealanders believe in helping people through tough times, but the deal has to be fair," Seymour said. "If you can work, you should be taking real steps toward work and taxpayer support should go to the essentials it was intended to fund."
Seymour said the number of Jobseeker recipients has grown 73% over the past decade and claimed the benefit now exceeds police spending and is double the medicines budget.
The rally also saw Nicole McKee named as new deputy leader, taking over from Brooke Van Velden, who will step down from Parliament at the November election.