Pubdate: Thu, 05 Jul 2012
Source: Taranaki Daily News (New Zealand)
Copyright: 2012 Fairfax New Zealand Limited
Contact:  http://www.thedailynews.co.nz/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1056
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/testing.htm (Drug Testing)

DRUG TESTING FOR WORK A SENSIBLE APPROACH

The Government's latest welfare reforms to cut the benefits of people 
who fail or refuse to take a drug test should be cautiously welcomed.

As it stands now, there are no consequences for drug-takers who opt 
out of job applications when faced with a drug test. While the 
details on the new rules are only emerging, it would appear from 
comments made by both Prime Minister John Key and Social Welfare 
Minister Paula Bennett that appropriate safeguards will be put in place.

Already the New Zealand Drug Foundation has been quick to challenge 
the scheme, which should be in place next year. Foundation spokesman 
Ross Bell said the penalties might work on recreational users, but 
the policy did not address the bigger problem of those with real addictions.

The Government subsequently clarified the criteria, ruling out 
universal drug testing of all beneficiaries and those beneficiaries 
with drug and alcohol addictions would be exempt.

Ms Bennett said there were about 6100 addicts who were on sickness or 
invalid's benefits and they would be exempt. That number will come as 
a surprise to many New Zealanders.

As it stands, that group did not have to be tested until certified as 
being work ready by their doctor, although surprisingly, there is no 
obligation for them to get any form of treatment for their addiction.

Ms Bennett indicated this could change and it is a change that would 
seem well overdue.

Those safeguards should be sufficient to satisfy many of the Drug 
Foundation's concerns, although the obvious one identified by Mr Bell 
- - "once you identify someone with a problem, how do you get them the 
help required?" - remains unsolved.

However, that issue existed before the mooted changes and will no 
doubt continue after they are implemented. That is a debate for 
another occasion and shouldn't in itself be a barrier to introducing 
tougher measures many New Zealanders would applaud.

The very notion beneficiaries should be exempt from the rules of 
society governing the rest of us is fanciful in the extreme, a point 
Mr Key has been quick to point out.

He said that taxpayers should not be supporting drug-users who refuse 
jobs that involve drug testing.

"If we're paying you a benefit; your responsibility is to be 
work-ready, and to be work-ready means that you can go along and 
actually pass that drugs test.

"Otherwise we're sending completely that wrong message - we're 
actually condoning illegal behaviour."

Mr Key said some, mainly young, people would turn down jobs because 
they knew they would not pass a drug test. While he found that 
unacceptable, so does any right-thinking New Zealander.

This is an overdue piece of legislation that will no doubt be met 
with resistance by various advocacy groups.

However, as long as adequate safeguards are in place, it is hard to 
disagree with the logic and the societal equity inherent in the concept.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom