2017-12-05
The Australian Greens welcome Labor opposing the rollout of the cashless welfare card in Bundaberg and the Goldfields, but are disappointed they support existing trial sites being extended in Ceduna and the East Kimberley, Senator Rachel Siewert said today.
“I am happy the Labor party listened to evidence given to the senate inquiry, the independent academic assessment of the ORIMA report and the local communities, and decided to oppose expanded cashless welfare card trials in Bundaberg and the Goldfields”, Australian Greens Senator Rachel Siewert said today.
“However, with acknowledgement of ‘widespread criticism of the evaluation and the effectiveness of the card’, you have to wonder why the Labor party aren’t opposing the cashless welfare card in its entirety.
“Residents in Ceduna and the East Kimberley should not continue to be forced to live under this flawed approach.
“I have flagged for a long time the major flaws in the ORIMA report on the cashless welfare card trials, the widespread community opposition and the long-standing evidence that compulsory income management does not work.
“I urge the Labor party to support my disallowance motion in February that will stop the extension of the trials in the East Kimberley and Ceduna. No-one deserves to have their autonomy taken away from them to their detriment as part of a Government funded experiment”.