Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says it’s time to ‘reset the culture’, and that starts with telling parents to support their adult children if they can’t find work.
But while national unemployment sits at 5.1%, the outlook for rangatahi Māori is far worse. Community providers estimate Māori youth unemployment is already in the high teens and could reach 25% by the end of 2025.
From November 2026, 18 and 19 year olds whose parents earn more than $65,000 combined will be cut off from Jobseeker Support.
Luxon says the goal isn’t to save money, but to get rangatahi working.
“Nobody owes you a living,” he told TVNZ. “We love our young people, but they need to take responsibility.”
About 4,300 young people will be impacted – mostly Māori and Pasifika rangatahi. The government says that’s a fair call. Critics say it’s anything but.
