The Govt appears to accept it cannot deny the benefit to young people who refuse work or training until there are enough training places available.

Some 42 per cent of white-collar employers froze salaries in the past six months, research shows.

Taskforce chairman Don Brash is confident New Zealand can close the gap with Australian levels of productivity and income by 2025.

John Whitehead says his speech calling for a shake-up in the public service should not be read as a call for wholesale job cuts.