Ceduna cashless debit card trial to be extended to 2020

The controversial cashless debit card trial in Ceduna will be extended until 2020 with support from Labor.

The controversial cashless debit card trial in Ceduna will be extended until 2020.

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The controversial cashless debit card trial in Ceduna will be extended until 2020 with support from Labor.

However, welfare recipients who are able to prove they are responsible with their finances could be exempt under new changes.

Labor, who had previously suggested scrapping the trial in Ceduna, supported the rollout under conditions.

Opposition social services spokeswoman Linda Burney said there was no evidence that the card works and the government botched its own assessment of the card.

“Labor’s amendments we have mitigate the arbitrary impacts that this card has on participants,” she said.

Opposition social services spokeswoman Linda Burney.

Under Labor’s amendments passed in the parliament, a person that can demonstrate reasonable and responsible management of their financial affairs and meets a range of criteria, can apply to their local community body to exit the trial of cashless welfare arrangements.

If the community body approves, it will notify the secretary to remove the person from the trial.

Previously Ceduna participants could only seek an exemption if using the card would pose a serious risk to person’s mental, physical or emotional wellbeing.

As of March 1 this year, 30 participants had been approved for an exemption in Ceduna, leaving 902 people in the town on the trial.

The parliament this week passed a Bill to extend the trial to June 2020, after Treasurer Josh Frydenberg included $128.8 million over four years for the trial in his Budget.

The funding will extend, and expand the trial and support services to income management participants in the Northern Territory and Cape York in Queensland from January next year.

Mr Frydenberg told The Advertiser that he backed the cashless welfare card, saying the current program was in the interest of the communities in which the trials were operating.

“The cashless debit card has been an important initiative that the Coalition is committed to,” Mr Frydenberg said.

“The Labor Party has a different approach to these issues, and we believe that we have got the right one.”

Ms Burney said participants who are able to demonstrate responsible management of their finances, are looking for job, at risk of homelessness, and children should not be subjected to the card.

“Labor’s amendments provide an opportunity for participants who do the right thing, or people who are vulnerable to the impacts of the cate to opt out,” she said.

“This Labor amendment both mitigates these impacts but also ensures continuity of support in those communities.”