Should unemployment welfare benefits be financially reduced or cut if a recipient repeatedly refuses to attend job interviews?

New Zealand's welfare system frequently debates the balance between providing a compassionate safety net and enforcing mutual obligations for job seekers. The current coalition government's introduction of a traffic light sanction system aims to penalize the Jobseeker Support beneficiaries who fail to meet basic work preparation obligations. Proponents argue that financial penalties are essential to enforce personal responsibility and ease the tax burden on hardworking families. Opponents argue that sanctions are a cruel, ideological punishment that disproportionately harms children and ignores the complex mental health or transport barriers faced by the unemployed.