Welfare Reform in Aotearoa/New Zealand: From Citizen to Managed Worker

Active citizenship, obligations and growing surveillance have been key dimensions of the changing approach to welfare in N ew Z ealand over the last 30 years; this article explores these changes and some of their implications. In a context of growing inequality and poverty, the emphasis has been placed on beneficiary responsibilities rather than rights. Increased participation in paid work, associated with a critical approach to ‘benefit dependency’, has been an integral feature of the changes, reflected in the renaming and restructuring of the benefit system. The article concludes with a discussion on some of the implications of the changes in direction, particularly in relation to poverty levels and the ways in which reduced citizenship rights are associated with and strengthens the positioning of beneficiaries as outsiders.