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You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/aug/07/my-healthy-welfare-card-idea-could-help-tackle-indigenous-disparity

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My 'healthy welfare card' idea could help tackle Indigenous disparity My 'healthy welfare card' idea could help tackle Indigenous disparity
(about 1 month later)
Disparity is Australia’s worst social problem. Thousands of lives are slowly being crushed, while billions are wasted on thousands of little initiatives trying to “close the gap”.Disparity is Australia’s worst social problem. Thousands of lives are slowly being crushed, while billions are wasted on thousands of little initiatives trying to “close the gap”.
However, returning home from the Garma Festival and having met First Australian people from across the country, I was delighted at their support for my Creating Parity review. I was pleased to see this support continue in the debate on the ABC’s Q&A program from the Garma site. This contrasts with the seemingly generous description of “bold, brave and ambitious” by more conservative commentators last week (I think that’s kind of white parochialism for “a bit hard”). The prime minister said at the press conference releasing the report that “if you always do what you have always done, you will always get what you have always got”. This means continuing to accept the soft bigotry of low expectations for First Australians, despite knowing there is a major alternative. I believe it is inhumane and economically unsound for both sides of politics to not come together to drive a strategy that ends such disparity.To this end, let me dispel a piece of misinformation about the healthy welfare card I am championing. The proposed card is a sophisticated, bank-issued debit card. It can be used in any store to pay for any goods and services other than alcohol and gambling. It allows individuals to budget and avoid gambling, illegal drugs or alcohol. It is the same type of card most Australians use every day to purchase food, pay rent and other bills, and it is targeted to support vulnerable Australians. It is not issued by Centrelink. It is not welfare quarantining, nor income management. There are no separate queues to use them and it is a card that operates within the mainstream financial system, so there is no stigma attached. And, contrary to more speculation, my recommendations do not include limiting the purchase of tobacco.Humbug ravages vulnerable communities and hence, vulnerable people. This is directly what we heard in our submissions, and it is how we came upon a solution for the option of cashless welfare payments.As Noel Pearson, who backs my plan, said this week: However, returning home from the Garma Festival and having met First Australian people from across the country, I was delighted at their support for my Creating Parity review. I was pleased to see this support continue in the debate on the ABC’s Q&A program from the Garma site. This contrasts with the seemingly generous description of “bold, brave and ambitious” by more conservative commentators last week (I think that’s kind of white parochialism for “a bit hard”). The prime minister said at the press conference releasing the report that “if you always do what you have always done, you will always get what you have always got”. This means continuing to accept the soft bigotry of low expectations for First Australians, despite knowing there is a major alternative. I believe it is inhumane and economically unsound for both sides of politics to not come together to drive a strategy that ends such disparity.To this end, let me dispel a piece of misinformation about the healthy welfare card I am championing. The proposed card is a sophisticated, bank-issued debit card. It can be used in any store to pay for any goods and services other than alcohol and gambling. It allows individuals to budget and avoid gambling, illegal drugs or alcohol. It is the same type of card most Australians use every day to purchase food, pay rent and other bills, and it is targeted to support vulnerable Australians. It is not issued by Centrelink. It is not welfare quarantining, nor income management. There are no separate queues to use them and it is a card that operates within the mainstream financial system, so there is no stigma attached. And, contrary to more speculation, my recommendations do not include limiting the purchase of tobacco. Humbug ravages vulnerable communities and hence, vulnerable people. This is directly what we heard in our submissions, and it is how we came upon a solution for the option of cashless welfare payments.As Noel Pearson, who backs my plan, said this week:
Properly targeted, with opt-in arrangements, the card can allow vulnerable families to get order in their life and provide the basics of food in the fridge and a blanket on the bed. We need to decide which one we want: is it better to support families so the child can stay with mum and dad, or to wait until child protection removes their child as a result of neglect? Indigenous children are only 3% of the population yet make up 60% of the children in out-of -home care.Properly targeted, with opt-in arrangements, the card can allow vulnerable families to get order in their life and provide the basics of food in the fridge and a blanket on the bed. We need to decide which one we want: is it better to support families so the child can stay with mum and dad, or to wait until child protection removes their child as a result of neglect? Indigenous children are only 3% of the population yet make up 60% of the children in out-of -home care.
Alcohol, gambling and illegal drugs are destroying vulnerable Indigenous and other families and communities across Australia. The other 26 recommendations of the Forrest review are empowered by the card and together will end disparity while promoting considerable economic activity.Alcohol, gambling and illegal drugs are destroying vulnerable Indigenous and other families and communities across Australia. The other 26 recommendations of the Forrest review are empowered by the card and together will end disparity while promoting considerable economic activity.
Individuals and communities need to clearly tell government if they want parity for First Australians. Only this will overcome the vested interests of governments and administrators and see these practical, inexpensive solutions for what they are: a way to finally achieve results, with the strength of will from each of us.Individuals and communities need to clearly tell government if they want parity for First Australians. Only this will overcome the vested interests of governments and administrators and see these practical, inexpensive solutions for what they are: a way to finally achieve results, with the strength of will from each of us.