Andrew Forrest: extend welfare card nationwide to stem drug abuse

Andrew Forrest has called on the government to roll out the healthy welfare card across the country.

Mining billionaire Andrew Forrest has called on the federal government to roll out the healthy welfare card across the country to restrict the flow of taxpayer-funded welfare cheques into gambling, alcohol and drugs.

In his first comments since news last week that the government will trial the welfare measure he proposed, Mr Forrest said it also needed to ensure it had counselling and other services in place to protect communities using the card.

“It’s not saying you can’t buy everything you need — it’s just staying you can’t buy alcohol and drugs and (it is) alcohol or drugs which is undermining commun­ities across Australia, and not just indigenous communities,’’ he said.

“The ice epidemic, which I warned of and warned of, is getting worse by the day and we ­really do need a card that will restrict the flow of cash from the Australian taxpayer through a vulnerable Australian into the pocket of a drug dealer.’’

The Australian revealed last week that the federal government planned to trial the welfare proposal in three towns — Kunun­urra and Halls Creek in Western Australia’s Kimberley region and Ceduna in South Australia — in a bid to stem the flow of alcohol to those communities.

The cards would run on a mainstream platform and would allow welfare recipients to pay for products and services excluding gambling, alcohol and illicit drugs.

Damian McLean, Shire President at Warburton community, 920km northeast of Kalgoorlie, says the welfare reform process “handcrafted by Andrew Forrest” would fail in remote communities.

He said the new work-for-the-dole scheme could leave many remote communities struggling with residents who had dropped out of the system.

“Poor people will become even poorer.”

Mr Forrest, who proposed the welfare measure last year following a review of indigenous training and employment, said the government needed to ensure welfare payments were entirely cashless.

The government is reported to be considering allowing between 10 and 20 per cent of welfare payments to be taken in cash and to allow those who could demonstrate good behaviour such as improved school attendance for their children, to access more cash.

The trials, which are due to begin early next year, will cover all welfare recipients in the towns, not just the indigenous population.