This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2018/sep/11/cashless-welfare-card-to-be-introduced-in-parts-of-queensland-after-coalitions-senate-win
The article has changed 4 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Cashless welfare card to be introduced in parts of Queensland after Coalition's Senate win | Cashless welfare card to be introduced in parts of Queensland after Coalition's Senate win |
| (about 1 month later) | |
| The cashless welfare card will be rolled out in parts of Queensland after legislation to expand the controversial trial passed the Senate on Tuesday. | The cashless welfare card will be rolled out in parts of Queensland after legislation to expand the controversial trial passed the Senate on Tuesday. |
| The 33-32 vote came after the federal government won the support of the independent Tim Storer, who backed the expansion having won an amendment to force additional oversight of the trial at the two new sites in Bundaberg and Hervey Bay. | The 33-32 vote came after the federal government won the support of the independent Tim Storer, who backed the expansion having won an amendment to force additional oversight of the trial at the two new sites in Bundaberg and Hervey Bay. |
| Storer had withheld his support following a damning audit office report that found the evaluation of existing trials in Ceduna and East Kimberley had been so “inadequate” it was unclear whether the cards had reduced social harm. | Storer had withheld his support following a damning audit office report that found the evaluation of existing trials in Ceduna and East Kimberley had been so “inadequate” it was unclear whether the cards had reduced social harm. |
| Labor, the Greens and Storer’s former Centre Alliance colleagues on Tuesday voted against the expansion of the card, which major welfare groups also strongly oppose. The expansion plans have also drawn the ire of the Bundaberg mayor, former LNP stalwart Jack Dempsey, but the member for Hinkler, LNP MP Keith Pitt, is a vocal supporter of the trial. | Labor, the Greens and Storer’s former Centre Alliance colleagues on Tuesday voted against the expansion of the card, which major welfare groups also strongly oppose. The expansion plans have also drawn the ire of the Bundaberg mayor, former LNP stalwart Jack Dempsey, but the member for Hinkler, LNP MP Keith Pitt, is a vocal supporter of the trial. |
| Aimed at reducing alcohol, gambling and drug use, the cards quarantine 80% of a person’s welfare payments to a special debit card. Critics say the cards leave welfare recipients unable to participate in the cash economy to buy things such as second-hand goods and disproportionately affect Indigenous communities. | Aimed at reducing alcohol, gambling and drug use, the cards quarantine 80% of a person’s welfare payments to a special debit card. Critics say the cards leave welfare recipients unable to participate in the cash economy to buy things such as second-hand goods and disproportionately affect Indigenous communities. |
| Storer’s amendment means the expansion will now be subject to an independent inquiry that consults with trial participants. | Storer’s amendment means the expansion will now be subject to an independent inquiry that consults with trial participants. |
| 'Ration days again': cashless welfare card ignites shame | 'Ration days again': cashless welfare card ignites shame |
| The opposition supported the amendment for more oversight. | The opposition supported the amendment for more oversight. |
| “We agree with Senator Storer that increased scrutiny is certainly needed,” the Labor senator Jenny McAllister said. “But I also wish to place on record my scepticism that it will improve things a great deal. Already $1.6m of public money has been spent on a failed evaluation.” | “We agree with Senator Storer that increased scrutiny is certainly needed,” the Labor senator Jenny McAllister said. “But I also wish to place on record my scepticism that it will improve things a great deal. Already $1.6m of public money has been spent on a failed evaluation.” |
| The Australian Council of Social Service described the news as “deeply disappointing”, while the Greens’ community services spokeswoman, Rachel Siewert, said the trial would push people further into poverty. | The Australian Council of Social Service described the news as “deeply disappointing”, while the Greens’ community services spokeswoman, Rachel Siewert, said the trial would push people further into poverty. |
| “With all due respect to Senator Storer, I think he’s been sold a pup,” she told the Senate. “There is no evidence from the [national audit office’s] report that this process has reduced social harm. We cannot support causing more distress to more people in Hinkler and the Goldfields and continuing that distress in Ceduna and East Kimberly. | “With all due respect to Senator Storer, I think he’s been sold a pup,” she told the Senate. “There is no evidence from the [national audit office’s] report that this process has reduced social harm. We cannot support causing more distress to more people in Hinkler and the Goldfields and continuing that distress in Ceduna and East Kimberly. |
| “You just can’t make this nonsense better. We can’t support this, because you can’t make it better.” | “You just can’t make this nonsense better. We can’t support this, because you can’t make it better.” |
| Last month, a Senate committee report into the cashless welfare card argued the trial should be expanded until 30 June 2020, and trialled in Hervey Bay and Bundaberg. | Last month, a Senate committee report into the cashless welfare card argued the trial should be expanded until 30 June 2020, and trialled in Hervey Bay and Bundaberg. |
| The expansion will increase the number of participants to 15,000. In Hinkler, people under 36 who are receiving Newstart, youth allowance or parenting payments will be placed on the card, which has also been rolled out in the WA’s Goldfields region. | The expansion will increase the number of participants to 15,000. In Hinkler, people under 36 who are receiving Newstart, youth allowance or parenting payments will be placed on the card, which has also been rolled out in the WA’s Goldfields region. |
| Dempsey has expressed frustration that cards will be trialled in his community, saying the government should focus on a broader package to help people into jobs. | Dempsey has expressed frustration that cards will be trialled in his community, saying the government should focus on a broader package to help people into jobs. |
| The manager of government business in the Senate, Mitch Fifield, said the government believed “you don’t have to choose between the cashless card and support services”. | The manager of government business in the Senate, Mitch Fifield, said the government believed “you don’t have to choose between the cashless card and support services”. |
| Cashless welfare card trial costs up to $18.9m, data reveals | Cashless welfare card trial costs up to $18.9m, data reveals |
| “The government is committed to both,” he told the Senate on Tuesday. | “The government is committed to both,” he told the Senate on Tuesday. |
| The government decided to push ahead with the expansion despite the auditor general’s damning verdict on the existing evaluation of the card in Ceduna and East Kimberley. | The government decided to push ahead with the expansion despite the auditor general’s damning verdict on the existing evaluation of the card in Ceduna and East Kimberley. |
| “As a consequence, it is difficult to conclude whether there had been a reduction in social harm and whether the card was a lower cost welfare quarantining approach,” its report said. | “As a consequence, it is difficult to conclude whether there had been a reduction in social harm and whether the card was a lower cost welfare quarantining approach,” its report said. |
| The government would not say on Tuesday how much expanding the trial into the Queensland would cost, saying the figure was commercial-in-confidence. | The government would not say on Tuesday how much expanding the trial into the Queensland would cost, saying the figure was commercial-in-confidence. |
| Welfare in Australia | Welfare in Australia |
| Queensland | Queensland |
| Coalition | Coalition |
| Australian politics | Australian politics |
| news | news |
| Share on Facebook | Share on Facebook |
| Share on Twitter | Share on Twitter |
| Share via Email | Share via Email |
| Share on LinkedIn | Share on LinkedIn |
| Share on Pinterest | Share on Pinterest |
| Share on WhatsApp | Share on WhatsApp |
| Share on Messenger | Share on Messenger |
| Reuse this content | Reuse this content |