That's the message from Liberal backbencher Ewan Jones, who's defending the government's controversial welfare changes that could lock out under-30s from receiving unemployment benefits for six months.
A joint parliamentary committee chaired by a Liberal senator has dealt a blow to the policy ruling that it's not compatible with human rights obligations.
But Mr Jones is adamant a tough love approach is necessary because the status quo is not putting a dent in the youth unemployment rate of 13.4 per cent in his Townsville electorate.
"Is it better to have someone earning and learning?" he asked reporters in Canberra.
"(Or) is it better to say to them, there's your dole, go home eat Cheezels, get on the Xbox?"
The outspoken MP from north Queensland is no stranger to snacks, having famously reacted with outrage to a government run heathly food rating system, claiming the government had no right warning people they were eating unhealthy food.
“I am obese and I carry a lot of weight and I always have and my thing is I’m not fat because I’m stupid, I’m fat because I eat too much,” he said at the time.
He played down the risk youth could go hungry or be forced into homelessness as a result of the policy.
"If you're not in the game we got to make it easy as possible to get you in the game by turning up for work for the dole programs," he said.
"Not sitting at home being awake from 10 o'clock at night to 6 O'clock in the morning playing bloody Nintendo."
SBS contacted Mr Jones asking for any evidence or data to support his claims that young people receiving Centrelink benefits are ‘chomping’ Cheezels in front of the Xbox.
Mr Jones said his comments were about getting young people engaged while looking for work.
“What I said was that our plan was to get people engaged in the process of job seeking, either by work for the dole or study for further opportunity and qualification," he said in a statement.
"The less desirable option is to just give them the dole, kiss them on the forehead and send them home to play Nintendo and eat cheezels. It’s a path which could lead to social isolation. Our plan and the preferred option is of engagement.”
He also did not provide a response to a question about potential increased rates in youth homelessness and starvation if these changes to welfare are enforced.
Shadow treasurer Chris Bowen condemned Mr Jones' comments saying it was unhelpful to insult young job seekers.
"Demonising people and making cheap pot shots is not good public policy," he told reporters in Canberra.
He said it was an embarrassment a Liberal committee chair was saying government legislation did not comply with human rights.
"It's designed deliberately to create an underclass in Australia," he said.
Mr Bowen said the government needed to reflect on its arrogance and lack of empathy.
Greens deputy leader Adam Bandt said parliamentarians who think that life on the dole was "Easy Street" should give it a go.
"I tried it for a week and you can not do it without sacrificing some of the basic necessities of life," he said.
He said it was difficult to make ends meet on $250 a week and the low payment was a barrier to employment because people could not afford to buy good clothes for job interviews or get a hair cut.
Small Business Minister Bruce Billson said young people needed to get out there and have a go.
"The message is your postcode doesn't determine your potential," he said.
"The ambition of young people goes well beyond playing console games."
