7091 (2025). Hon Willie Jackson to the Minister for Social Development and Employment

7091 (2025). Hon Willie Jackson to the Minister for Social Development and Employment: Does the Minister stand by her answer in response to oral question 4 on February 13th that "By introducing these sanctions, we aim to reduce welfare dependency and increase the number of Kiwis entering the workforce" and if so, what evidence does she have that suggests that more sanctions will work?

Hon Louise Upston: Yes. I am advised that sanctions result in increased rates of benefit exists, as well as higher rates of exits into employment. The size of this impact varies across studies. The empirical evidence shows the the number on jobseeker benefit has gone up by 76,000 when there has been a 50 percent reduction in the number of sanctions applied from 2017 to 2023.