No benefit for those on the run from police

Those on the run from police will no longer receive a benefit.

Minister of Social Development, Paula Bennett says of the 15,000 people with a current arrest warrant, over 8,000 are on a benefit.

LISTEN: Paula Bennett on Larry Williams Drive this afternoon

The minister says if someone has an unresolved warrant, they'll be given 38 days to clear it up with police before the benefit is stopped.

"And it just doesn't make sense to me or this government that you know, we're letting them effectively evade the police while still receiving their welfare benefit." 

She says if someone poses a danger to the public, their benefit can be stopped immediately at the the request of the Police Commissioner.

Those with children will have their benefit halved.

Ms Bennett's hoping it'll mean people will come forward quicker.

She says it has the potential to make work easier for police and clear the courts faster.

In exceptional circumstances, where someone poses a danger to the public, their benefit can be stopped immediately at the request of the Police Commissioner.

Labour leader David Shearer says the number of people affected by the arrest warrant crackdown is very small compared to the rest of the issues facing the Government.

"(They) don't focus on the really big issues which is the economic reform, it's Solid Energy, the number of jobs we've lost there, the number of jobs we've lost at Tiwai Point, the number of jobs we've lost at Goodman Fielder who make Vogels bread. I mean, all of these jobs are being lost."

Photo: NZ Herald