Don't Underestimate the Spirit of Work

Simon Collins has written a profile of new National cabinet minister Paula Bennett in today's NZ Herald. The profile moves between discussing her new role as Social Development Minister, and her journey to that position from teenage solo mother.

It is an illustrative account of the best intentions behind National's 'welfare to work' theme.

There is incredible dignity in work.

"Don't underestimate the spirit of work," she says. "It was the people I met while working that changed my life. I didn't always feel that I was better off financially, but I was a lot better off emotionally."