Yoof and the Warburton Effect

Lindsay Mitchell reports that Mr Key is about to announce something big tomorrow for our troubled yoof. And asks that he does a proper job.

Lindsay has been tirelessly and thanklessly banging on about our yoof being locked into the vicious welfare cycle. She references a British Columbia report on such matters which notes the Warburton Effect.

I concluded that the sort of change needed could only happen when there was a consensus that individuals are first and foremost responsible for themselves and their children.

We as parents try to do the best for our children and we know giving them welfare is a massive disincentive. I thank my now departed father-in-law for having those harsh words all those years along the lines of 'No, we are not giving you a handout or a loan'. That caused us a newly-weds to take a turn for the better. Hard yards, but a much better outcome.

When we try to help some people by providing them with financial support, we can unintentionally hurt others by inducing them to drop out of school.

Yes, Mr Key, please tomorrow as Lindsay asks, do a proper job and help turn around our troubled yoof. Yes, the usual suspects will scream "Won't someone please think of the children?" but New Zealand parents will thank you in the end.