This Government bill changes welfare settings with a stated focus on supporting people into employment and off benefits. It was enacted as the Social Security Amendment Act 2025.
Parliament advanced this bill under urgency (committee of whole house, first reading, second reading) — moving it through faster than usual, with less time than normal for public submissions.
This government bill changes welfare settings under the Social Security Act, tightening obligations on people receiving Jobseeker Support and expanding the traffic-light sanctions system. It introduces new non-financial sanctions for those who repeatedly miss obligations, such as money management, where part of a benefit is loaded onto a payment card usable only for essentials, and mandatory community work experience or training. It also requires a jobseeker profile before benefits start, makes Jobseeker Support recipients reapply every 26 weeks instead of 52, and extends how long obligation failures count against someone.
The changes advance the government's goal of cutting long-term benefit numbers and welfare costs. Supporters argue stronger obligations plus support move people into work, framed as the best way out of hardship. Critics, including welfare and anti-poverty advocates, argue the sanctions are punitive, may push vulnerable families into deeper hardship, and that evidence they improve employment outcomes is weak.
See the Parliament.nz ↗ site for the full bill.