Grog abuse drops under welfare card

The cashless debit welfare card has led to a large drop in alcohol abuse and family violence in trial communities.

Human Services Minister Alan Tudge with a sample welfare card. Picture: Stuart McEvoy

The cashless debit welfare card has led to a large drop in alcohol abuse and family violence in trial communities, according to an independen­t evaluation report that found community and leader support for the scheme to be rolled out nationally.

The landmark final report — to be released today by Human Services Minister Alan Tudge — has found the positive health and social outcomes are almost without precedent.

Almost half the 2141 welfare recipients in the remote trial communities of East Kimberley in West­ern Australia and Ceduna, South Australia, reported significantly cutting their drinking, drug and gambling dependence.

There was a significant reduction in alcohol-related family violence and a drop in arrests, assaults­ and flow-on impacts, including­ a fall in alcohol­-related hospital admissions and improved welfare outcomes and ­caring for children.

The evaluation of the federal government trial program, conducted by ORIMA research, reported­ that 41 per cent of drinkers said they drank alcohol less frequently, and there was a corresponding 14 per cent reduc­tion in arrests for public drunkenness.

The trials began in April and May last year.

Mr Tudge will today announce the government’s intention to expand the mandatory participation trials into another community.

Labor is yet to commit­ to the card and may join the Greens in blocking in the Senate­ any moves to broaden the trial to other ­communities.

Qualitative research suggest­ed the card had led to greater use of public facilities by families and the community feeling safer. ­Almost 40 per cent of parents and carers reported­ that they spent more time involved in their children’s schooling and homework, and 45 per cent of participants in the scheme said they were now saving money.

“There was a large degree of support from stakeholders and community leaders for the CDC to be extended across the country because of the positive changes that had been observed as a result of the trial, which were considered to be applicable on a broader scale,” the report said.

“The evaluation findings indi­cate that the trial has had a considerab­le positive impact in both trial sites.

“The qualitative research­ found considerable evidence cited by many community leaders and stakeholders of a ­reduction in ­violence and harmful ­behaviours.”

Mr Tudge said the report concluded­ that there had been few previous initiatives that had produced such a positive impact for health and community outcomes, with the improvements increasin­g over time.

“We are hoping it is the beginning of the turnaround,” he said.

“The card is not a panacea but it has led to a fundamen­tal improvement in these communities. There are very few other initi­atives that have had such impact.

“As many local leaders noted, these communities were in crisis, largely due to massive alcohol consumption paid for by the welfare dollar. I hope that we can look back in a decade’s time and say that this initiative was the beginning of the turnaround.

“A large part of the success has been the close working relationship with local leaders, who have co-designed and implemented the trial with us. They have demonstrated true leadership.”

The cashless debit card trials were introduced in Ceduna and the East Kimberley for a period of 12 months, following escalating concerns that alcohol abuse and related violence in the largely indig­enous communities had reached a “crisis” point.

Under the trials, 80 per cent of all welfare payments are placed in an account accessible only through a Visa debit card that is locked from use in liquor stores and gambling venues, as well as preventing cash withdrawals.

Since the introduction of the card, alcohol-related presen­tations to hospitals in Ceduna had fallen by 37 per cent, leading to qualitative evidence of a fall in ­alcohol-related family violence.

Of those who admitted to illegal­ substance abuse, 48 per cent reported to have been using less frequently, while 48 per cent of gamblers reporte­d gambling less.

In Ceduna and the surrounding local government areas, poker machine­ revenue was reported to have been down by 12 per cent, the equivalent of more than $500,000 in 12 months.

The number of people reporting that the card had made life more difficult had also fallen.

Ceduna Mayor Allan Suter said the improvements to people’s lives in just 12 months had been ­“stunning” and provided the best hope that a lasting solution to the social crisis was possible.

“The improvement we are most proud of is in the lives of families … it has been really quite amazing,” Mr Suter said. “Kids have been missing out on food because parents were pouring (money) down the throats of pokies … it is the most dramatic improvement I’ve seen. I’ve been involved for 14 years through council in trying a series of initiatives, some of them have given good results in the short term … but this is certainly the most significant change for the better I’ve seen.

“The results on the ground reflect the report … we have noticed a series of dramatic improvements, most notably the decrease in the amount of alcohol and gambling … and, while its harder to measure, a significant decrease in drug use.”

Mr Suter said there had also been a “huge improvement in gener­al behaviour around town”.

“You used to see a lot of intoxicated people and sporadic outbreaks of violence … that has dramatically decreased,” he said. “There has been a 40-50 (per cent) decrease in all problem areas.

“But our biggest ambition was to improve the lives of families being neglected. I would like to see it expanded to other communities. I certainly hope the naysayers don’t get their way.”

Bill Shorten said this week ­Canberra should not be imposing outcomes on communities.

“There’s no doubt that there’s concern in the community about the prevalence of ice and other drugs of addiction, but let’s also recognise, unless the community wants to do this cashless welfare card, it won’t work,” the Opposition Leader said.

“The other thing I’ve got to make very clear here is that if you’re going to try and encourage people to break drugs of addiction, alcohol or other drugs of addiction, you need to make sure you’ve got the rehab facilities.’’

Mining magnate Andrew Forrest­, a champion of the CDC, said last week that the country would continue to suffer for years if the trials were not rolled out nationall­y.

“Children are dying and being raped and absolutely suffering … and we are not helping them,” Mr Forrest said. “The cashless debit card needs a lot of courage from the opposition and from those in government to put up with all those who could tip the balance of power ­either way … who are a tiny minority.”