Social Services Legislation Amendment (Drug Testing Trial) Bill 2019

The majority voted against an amendment to the usual second reading motion "that the bill be read for a second time" (in other words, that the majority agree with the bill's main idea), which means the amendment failed. The amendment was introduced by Barton MP Linda Burney (Labor).

Amendment text

"The House declines to give the bill a second reading and:

(1) notes the overwhelming medical, expert and overseas evidence that this bill will not work to address addiction, decrease unemployment or create jobs; and

(2) calls on the Government to reject the bill and instead pursue evidence-based policy and invest in quality health and social services".

What does the bill do?

According to the bills digest:

The purpose of the Bill is to establish a drug testing trial of 5,000 new recipients of Newstart Allowance (NA) and Youth Allowance (other) (YA) in three discrete locations over two years.