Cashless Welfare Card Trial Sites

The majority voted against a motion introduced by Greens Senator Rachel Siewert (WA), which means it was unsuccessful. The motion called for the Government to abandon planned cashless welfare card trials and stop further expansion of the card at current sites.

Motion text

That the Senate—

(a) notes that:

(i) two extra trial sites of the cashless welfare card were funded in the 2017-18 Budget,

(ii) the locations being considered to date for these additional trial sites are Port Hedland, East Pilbara, Kalgoorlie, Laverton, Leonora, Broome, Redlands, Bundaberg, Fraser Coast and somewhere in Tasmania, and

(iii) the Government has claimed to be consulting with the community in these areas but has not consulted with those who will be directly affected by the card;

(b) acknowledges that evaluations of the NT Intervention, including compulsory income management, show it met none of its objectives; and

(c) calls on the Government to abandon the additional two trial sites and halt further expansion of the current cashless welfare card sites.