“Carmel Sepuloni seems intent on punishing future generations with her plans to raise benefits by a further $57 a week by 2023,” says ACT’s Social Development spokesperson Karen Chhour.

“New Zealand is already drowning in debt, it's not fair a future generation of workers will be lumped with paying this back.

“Labour said they want to put children at the heart of everything, but they're handing them a bill of billions of dollars for their current spending.

“Actions have consequences. If you keeping socking it to the hardworking tax payers you’ll get less of them. If you keep handing cash to beneficiaries, you’ll get more.

“The Government should instead be making smart spending decision and creating good public policy which will help get people back into work.

“Too many children grow up without the positive example of a parent in work. Too many adults suffer from chronic welfare dependency. Carmel Sepuloni is showing no signs that she wants to change that.

“ACT has positive plans to use welfare as a hand up. The Government has an opportunity to make people’s lives better but it seems more interested in keeping families in a cycle of dependency.”

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