Figures last week show unemployment benefit numbers have surged by more than 15,500 since the change of government. The unemployment benefit exists to provide temporary relief in periods of trouble and need. Back in February, when defending the previous surge in benefit numbers, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern agreed that her Government "wanted people in work". So, it's no surprise that Work and Income has had to issue almost half a million hardship grants in the past year. And while ministers might protest this is a result of their comparative kindness, that's not how it saw things in Opposition.

Source: Stuff July 22, 2019 18:00 UTC