"I'm only saying this as the Regional Development Minister. But an opportunity will be made available for entry-level work. There is no option to refuse that work and then lay around on a Harley Davidson bike and still getting the dole.
"And if you don't believe it's happening, come with me to Kaikohe."
The programmes would keep young men out of gangs, and give gang members as well as former prisoners an opportunity to get their lives back on track, he said.
Jones, who has been toying with Work For The Dole-type schemes, said regional leaders were imploring him to use his $1 billion regional development fund to kick-start projects.
"The Mayor of Wairoa wants to get cracking right now to reconnect Wairoa to Napier in terms of railways. The people of Whangarei expect to see picks and shovels by Waitangi Day on the way to Ruakaka.
"That's not only for freight. Railway tourism offers one untapped opportunity."
A riparian-planting programme would partner the Crown with NGOs, but other programmes could partner with the private sector.
He said funding could come from a $60 million NEETS (Not in Employment Education or Training) fund that was never used by the previous Government, or from the regional development fund.
The plan was criticised by Auckland Action Against Poverty, which said Work For The Dole-type schemes were open to abuse.
AAAP co-ordinator Vanessa Cole the work scheme would push people into temporary work with insecure hours, trapping them between low wages and welfare, while employers had access to cheap labour and could avoid paying real wages and hiring full-time staff.
"If we're trying to create a situation where people are in employment, that employment has to provide a living wage [of $20.20 an hour]. If beneficiaries were paid a liveable income, it would force employers to provide adequate hours and wages."
National's regional development spokesman Simon Bridges said Jones was "talking a big game", but his plans would divide the coalition.
"Work For The Dole is anathema to the Labour-Greens. If anything they want to reduce welfare obligations to be available for work."
He said Jones was also driving a wedge between NZ First and the Greens by pushing for mining, gas and irrigation for the regions, which the Greens oppose.
Greens co-leader James Shaw did not respond to a request for comment.
Jones said the regional fund could support small-scale irrigation projects, even though the Labour-Greens confidence and supply agreement has a provision to "wind down Government support for irrigation".
The fund would not support large-scale irrigation, such as the failed Ruataniwha project in the Hawke's Bay, but small-scale ones could help areas where agriculture will suffer from the drought effects of climate change.
Any proposal would have to pass an environmental and sustainability threshold, he said.
The fund would not be used for gas exploration. He said gas should play a role, but the money would have to come from the private sector.
