She is also looking for a 40 per cent drop in the numbers of young people on benefits, aimed at getting 21,000 more young people off the benefit.
National also planed to extend the current scheme to pay $3000 to people if they moved to Christchurch to take up a new job.
At a public meeting in Mount Maunganui on Wednesday, Deputy Prime Minister Bill English compared some long-term beneficiaries to crack addicts.
"Getting stuck on benefit is like crack cocaine, it's really hard once you've started to come off it."
A comment slammed by Tauranga Labour candidate Dr Rachel Jones.
"I think the National MPs need a real reality check, because very few people chose to be on benefit."
She described National's $1000 incentive offer as a "band-aid solution" to the real problem - tackling the "low-wage economy", the growing numbers on the minimum wage, and the lack of full-time sustainable jobs.
Te Tuinga Whanau Support Services executive director Tommy Wilson said Mr English's crack cocaine comment showed a lack of understanding and respect for those struggling on welfare.
No word from PM over bridge
A slip-up in the Prime Minister's office meant there will be no response published in the Bay of Plenty Times prior to tomorrow's election of criticism that Mr Key failed to honour a pledge National would meet the full costs of building Tauranga's Hairini Link.
The Bay of Plenty Times emailed Mr Key's chief press secretary on Tuesday asking for Mr Key to respond to criticism that he failed to honour the $100 million pre-election pledge he made in 2008.
It follows recent criticism from New Zealand First, the New Zealand Independent Coalition and Tauranga city councillors.
When no response was received by mid afternoon yesterday, a reminder email was sent and copied to National's MP for Tauranga Simon Bridges.
The press secretary responded just over an hour later, saying she apologised for missing the email. "I'll work on getting a response back to you as soon as possible, but it won't be until tomorrow."
This meant the earliest that the story could appear in the paper was Saturday, but the law prevented stories that could influence voters being published on the day of the election.
The New Zealand Transport Agency has committed to fully funding the $55 million cost of building the underpass linking Welcome Bay with the Hairini causeway but not the rest of the project to widen the Turret Rd bridge and four-lane Turret Rd and 15th Ave. Instead the Turret Rd/15th Ave corridor will cease being a highway and return to council ownership so half the bridge and widening costs could fall on ratepayers.
Western Bay region by the numbers
Jobseeker support benefit: 4532
Sole parent support benefit: 2943
Supported living payment: 2562
Other main benefits: 144
Total: 10,201
* latest figures at June 2014 quarter.
Bay of Plenty region as a whole
Jobseeker support benefit: 12,120
Sole parent support benefit: 8059
Supported living payment: 6297
Other main benefits : 396
Total : 26,872
Source: Ministry of Social Development
- Additional reporting John Cousins and APN
