Test for ALP as Coalition eyes victory on cashless welfare card, drug tests

PM close to major victory with Lambie’s support for cashless welfare and drug tests.

Senator Jacqui Lambie is “happy” to support drug testing of welfare recipients and wants cashless welfare card rolled out across the country.

Scott Morrison is close to securing a major victory for his social and welfare reform agenda, ­including the expansion of the cashless welfare card and drug tests for welfare recipients, with both bills likely to be passed after Jacqui Lambie confirmed her support.

The surprise move by the Tasmanian independent senator ahead of parliament’s return today has isolated Labor leader Anthony Albanese, who is facing divisions within the caucus over his decision to enforce a “no-vote” on both bills.

It comes as the Prime Minister laid down a challenge to the ­Opposition Leader, accusing him of presiding over a scandal-ridden party, while baiting him to back a sweeping legislative agenda including protection of workers’ ­entitlements and mandatory sentencing for pedophiles.

The government on Monday will heap further pressure on the opposition to back laws to protect farmers from activists — dubbed the “vegan terrorist bill” — before putting up further laws to clamp down on multinational tax avoidance.

Mr Albanese will also face pressure over the “big stick” ­divestiture laws to crack down on gouging energy companies, which Labor had previously opposed, with the Coalition vowing to bring that too to a vote within this sitting fortnight.

Having wedged Labor into a backdown over its opposition to the government’s income tax cut package in June, Mr Morrison will seek to do the same over its social and industrial relations ­reforms. A vote on its medivac ­repeal bill was also expected within this fortnight, with the government seeking to lock in Senator Lambie’s support on that bill as well. “Labor just doesn’t seem to know what it stands for or whose side they are on, which means you won’t know what you get from one week to the next,” Mr Morrison told The Australian.

“The contrast is between a ­stable, united government getting on with the job, with a clear plan, delivering on the promises we made, versus a Labor Party that is conflicted on policy and tarnished by scandal.

“On tax and the budget, on border protection, on union power, on work over welfare — Labor can’t tell you what they believe or who’s side they’re on. No certainty, no consistency.

“At the same time, we’re getting on with the job. The proof is in our agenda and over the ­coming fortnight we’ll deliver on our commitments to Australians through these key bills.”

Senator Lambie yesterday confirmed she would support the two welfare bills after Mr Morrison announced he would waive the $157m in housing debt that Tasmania owed the commonwealth and which Senator Lambie had demanded in exchange for supporting the Coalition’s $158bn personal income tax cuts plan. Pauline Hanson’s One Nation has confirmed support for the cashless welfare card, and signalled support — with amendments — for drug testing. With the likely vote of independent conservative Cory Bernardi, the government would have the numbers in the Senate to pass the laws without the support of Labor, the Greens and two Centre Alliance senators.

Senator Lambie said she would seek further deals from the government before confirming whether she would support the medivac repeal bill, which she has demanded go through the current Senate committee review that is due to report in October.

“I have no doubt whatsoever, mate, that I’m going to be coming back asking for money,” Senator Lambie said.

“While Tasmania has that ­balance of power (in the Senate), we’re going to need more money in this space … and also the services to go along with it.”

Signalling she would work with the government on its legislative priorities, Senator Lambie said she wanted the cashless welfare card rolled out across the country and was “happy” to support drug testing of welfare recipients.

“I’ve always been a big supporter of the cashless welfare card. I’ve seen the results that that has had,” she said.

“I’m happy to support the drug testing of welfare recipients.”

Labor on Sunday rejected the political tests being forced on the party, claiming the government plan to expand the cashless ­welfare card and drug test welfare recipients would “humiliate ­people”.

Manager of opposition business Tony Burke said: “The people who Scott Morrison is talking about are people who’ve worked all their lives, lost their jobs, and he now wants them to humiliate themselves.

“Walking into the office, ­having to urinate into a cup, having pieces of their hair plucked out, having to spit into a jar.

“And all of this for what? Because he thinks it’s a clever political battle with Labor. It won’t create a job. It humiliates people. It’s not a sensible policy.”

Mr Burke also said the ­Abbott-era cashless debit card, which ­allows people to buy ­groceries and pay rent but does not work at ­bottle shops or gambling venues, was hurting corner stores because the card worked only in supermarkets that signed up.

“It means the government will be forcing people away from small businesses,” he said.

Nationals member for Hinkler Keith Pitt said the claim was “nonsense” and urged Mr Burke to look at what was happening on the ground in his electorate, home to one of the cashless card trial sites, “before espousing the Greens rhetoric”.