Coming up on Te Karere... Will the reforms be a hit, or will they miss? What do beneficiaries seeking jobs think about it? Will Auckland motorists soon be forking out for their transport woes? Due to the live nature of Te Karere, some segments will not be subtitled. Tena koutou katoa, and welcome to Te Karere. The government's new welfare reforms kick in today. The changes will affect thousands who currently receive the benefit. 129,000 unemployed, sickness and sole parents without children under 14 must find work. 84,000 sole parents and widows with children under 14 must find part-time work. 8,000 halves or stops for beneficiaries with arrest warrants. About 5,800 will lose their benefits for failing drug tests. All jobseekers must reapply every year for their benefit. The Social Welfare Minister Paula Bennett says it's not about making life harder for beneficiaries, but it is about getting more people into jobs. Irena Smith spoke to one lady who will be affected. This is Aroha Pohatu. She's a student and a mother of three on the solo parent benefit. In two years' time, her youngest child will turn 5, meaning there will be an obligation for her to find work, but she's already started looking. The Minister for Social Welfare says the reforms are not about putting pressure on beneficiaries. The Government estimates 28,000 to 44,000 people will come off benefits by 2017 because of the reforms, saving up to $1.6 billion. But what about those people who live in small towns where there aren't a lot of jobs and they don't want to move from their homes? Although Aroha supports the need for people to get off the benefit and find jobs, she says it's hard. She hopes she does find part time work, and some relief from the financial struggles she lives with. Irena Smith, Te Karere. Welform reforms are about getting people into jobs, but as our reporter Kereama Wright discovered, there aren't that many jobs around to get into. It's business as usual today. But from tomorrow, most of the country's beneficiaries will be chopped. This ex-tax payer has received the Disability Benefit for the last three years. He receives $250 a week, but it's not enough to live on. Essentially, the changes are aimed at pushing those who remain static, in to actively seeking employment. But the question is, who will actually benefit from these changes? Despite the lack of employment, amongst the changes, those who are fortunate enough will be required to take drug tests It's all up to the individual really - you can lead the horse to water, but you can't make it drink. Whether or not there's enough water for all will be evident in time. Kereama Wright, Te Karere. The latest welfare reforms are expected to have a brutal impact on the well-being of thousands of children and adults, and organisations like The City Mission who end up picking up the pieces say these reforms just create more hoops for the poor to jump through. There are those who say the governments got it wrong. And others will say it's time the government put an end to the bludging. Welfare changes are being attacked by beneficiary advocates as another means of punishing people who have no money, no food and no basic skills and asked to compete with skilled people who also struggle to get a job. For all families, it's about feeding the children. While they agree beneficiaries should be drug free, there is another issue to be considered - have they got they got the programmes in place? In the Auckland University of Technology study, New Zealand came forth from the bottom compared with surveys from 22 European countries - just beating Hungary, Tini Molyneux, Te Karere. The one-year-old baby boy at the centre of a homicide inquiry has been taken from Auckland to Kaikohe, to Mahuhu Ki Te Rangi Marae. This was just confirmed by the father's family with Te Karere. Police have completed a post-mortem on Atreyu Taylor-Matene, but won't reveal how he received the fatal head injuries. The boy was taken to Starship Hospital on Friday where he later died. The Whangarei home where the boy lived with his mother Jessica Taylor-McGahen and her new boyfriend Chris Whaley remains cordoned off. Charges have yet to be laid, but 25 officers are on the case. A mother's journey from New Zealand has been in vain after the case against the man accused of murdering her son was adjourned in a Queensland Court today by a Southport magistrate until October 02. Kiri Williams travelled from her home in Mt Maunganui to attend the scheduled committal hearing for Matthew Cox from Port Macquarie, who is accused of murdering new Zealand-born singer Tony Williams on the Gold Coast in December 2011. The matter was delayed after Cox was unable to get to the Gold Coast from Townsville where he was found not guilty of an unrelated grievous bodily harm charge last week. It's the first time Ms Williams has come to court since her son's battered body was found in a mermaid waters unit. Ms Williams told reporters outside the court house that she plans to return in October despite Monday's disappointment. Cox has been remanded in custody. After the break, will Tame Iti be the one to bring The Maori Party and Mana together? Will Auckland motorists soon be forking out Will Auckland motorists soon be forking out for their transport woes? Activist Tame Iti said following the weekends Maori Party conference he was asked by the Party to act as a go between - between the Mana and Maori parties. Officially the issue of whether the Maori Party should hold talks with Mana has not been resolved; with co-leader Tariana Turia saying the matter needed more discussion. Newly appointed co-leader Te Ururoa Flavell was unaware of any approaches made to Tame Iti on behalf of the Party. I have no knowledge of this and haven't heard anything. No one has approached me in my new role as co-leader, so I will need to confirm that. We will address it at some stage but at the moment we're focusing on the Party. But while Tame Iti is keen to mend bridges but the new president of the Maori Party isn't so sure. Naida Glavish is backing Tariana Turia's remarks on the weekend that trust will have to be restored. Earlier I spoke with Naida Glavish, I asked her what it'll take for the Maori Party to sit at the same table as Mana Party leader Hone Harawira. We're unable to provide subtitles. The trial of two men following the death of a man after an alleged assault in Lower Hutt is underway at the High court in Wellington. Desmond Leaf and Harlem Turi are charged with the manslaughter of Michael Mulholland. The crown says Mr Mulholland died of a heart attack after the two assaulted him outside his home in Farmers crescent last September. The two are also charged with injuring Mr Mulholland with intent. A fee to drive on Auckland s roads is one step closer tonight. Known as a congestion charge, the idea is being supported as a means to raise money for transport projects and reduce traffic. It's included in a report from a council think-tank that's been tasked with bridging a $400mil a year funding gap. At the moment it costs nothing to drive around the city, but that could change under a proposal to charge people for entering the CBD or using the motorway network. More than a thousand people were asked about the idea of bringing in a congestion charge in an online survey this year. More than three out of four respondents supported the idea. But a congestion charge is only one option and could be eight years away if brought in at all. The group's suggesting that three-and-a-half cents per litre gets added to Aucklander's fuel bills each year, adding up to more than 20 cents a litre by 2021. 3% or more would be added to rates bills, on top of other rates increases, over the same period. I tried calling the Maori Statutory Board but they weren't available to comment - I also made efforts to contact local Mana whenua but had no luck. Almost 130,000 Maori live in the Auckland region. Anzac Pikia, Te Karere. After the break, we have tomorrow's weather. To the weather now. That's all we have for today. Kia ora tatou katoa. Captions were made possible with funding from NZ on Air. Copyright TVNZ Access Services 2013.