One of the interesting insights we’ve gleaned from new National leader Chris Luxon, is that he likes to double down on policy failure.

When questioned on welfare, Chris made it very clear that he was a supporter of Bill English’s ‘investment approach’.

That approach is what created Oranga Tamariki.

The ‘investment’ approach to welfare goes like this.

Some people on welfare are there forever and cost the State lots of money.

Early intervention of removing children from bad homes will save the State money in the long run.

By accounting for everyone costing the State money, you can ‘borrow’ some of the cost to remove children quicker.

That was what Oranga Tamariki became.

What Chris Luxon is clearly stating by supporting Bill English’s ‘investment’ approach is a brutal bureaucracy that waters down universal provision of welfare for the worst cost individuals and treats them like a statistic.

If National get back in, expect more counterproductive neoliberal experiments in welfare.

First published on Waatea News.