Fining parents of high school dropouts is "very unlikely" to become National Party policy, but leader Simon Bridges isn't abandoning the idea just yet.
It was reported last week the party was considering including a $3000 fine to parents of students who left high school but did not engage in further education or training as part of its new social development policy pitch.
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But Bridges told The AM Show on Wednesday he's not super fond of the idea.
"Very unlikely to happen. Basically we've got a massive policy process going on and you get all sorts of ideas thrown up.
"What I would say to you though, I'm glad that we are having a discussion about welfare."
Bridges won't back away from the policy completely though, saying he wants to do something for kids who leave school early without any path forward.
"I'm not going to go round ruling in and out stuff when we've got a welfare document coming very soon.
"The issue is this, you've got people under 18, young adults, who are not in education, they're not in training, they're not in work and we want to get them into that."
Critics dismissed the policy when it was first suggested last week, with Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern saying she thinks it would be ineffective.
"There have been various countries who have attempted to try and address issues through penalties for parents, I think, ultimately, what we need to do is support families," she told Stuff on Thursday.
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