Source: Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi
National’s plan to randomly drug test jobseekers is fundamentally wrong and unworkable and would put dangerous additional pressure on MSD staff who have already been cut back.
The policy says testing would be “integrated into MSD’s work-readiness and employment planning”, starting with 10,000 tests in the first year “with the programme expanding”. It says this will be “funded from MSD baselines”.
“This is populist rhetoric targeting the most vulnerable and will pile more pressure onto MSD workers who are already facing unacceptable levels of aggression and violence,” said Fleur Fitzsimons, National Secretary for the Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi.
“There is no thought for the impact on staff or how it would work in practice. MSD case managers are there to support people into work. This plan turns that into a punitive relationship. Ordering drug tests and handing out sanctions won’t build trust, and it won’t help anyone into a job.
“It means more work for staff who have already been cut back hard and under stress, with no new money to pay for it. Every hour spent policing drug tests is an hour taken away from helping people into work.
“Rushed policy is already causing mistakes at MSD. We saw it recently with the Winter Energy Payment. Stretched staff have been left to clean up the mess, and the people relying on those payments paid the price. Bolting on another poorly thought-out scheme will only make that worse.”
National’s policy leaves many questions unanswered:
- What will 10,000 tests a year really cost? National says $1.5 million a year, about $150 a test, before second tests, assessments, admin and sanctions.
- What will be tested? Will it be urine, or hair follicle testing which costs more?
- Who will do the testing? Will it be contracted out, and is there the capacity?
- Will addiction support be available? Addiction services already have long waitlists, so who will carry out the “mandatory alcohol and drug assessments”?
- What will be cut to pay for it? “Funded from MSD baselines” means taking money from other services.
“This is bad policy that won’t make a difference to outcomes, but like move on orders this is more of the same from National – slogans over policy that actually helps our most vulnerable,” said Fitzsimons.
Background on drug testing
Under current MSD rules, drug testing is done by employers, for jobs that require it, and jobseekers can be sanctioned if they fail or refuse. MSD does not record how many tests are carried out. National’s policy would have MSD itself order random tests of jobseekers, whether or not they have been referred to a job.
The Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi is Aotearoa New Zealand’s largest trade union, representing and supporting more than 95,000 workers across central government, state-owned enterprises, local councils, health boards and community groups.