2016-04-19
With the cashless welfare card running in South Australia and making life more difficult for residents in Ceduna, Senator Rachel Siewert has moved to halt the card going ahead in the East Kimberley, Western Australia.
“The cashless welfare card has now been imposed on income support recipients in Ceduna and already we are seeing the struggles of the card”, Australian Greens Senator Rachel Siewert said today.
“As suspected, ‘community consultation’ did not capture those actually forced on to the card. This card has made life more difficult for those struggling to get by. I’m sure there were many that didn’t even know the card was coming and are now trying to wrap their head around it.
“I urge the Labor to vote in favour of my disallowance motion that would stop the regulation for the trial in the East Kimberley. Labor has the opportunity to act and help stop the card.
“In Western Australia, we are seeing Federal Labor candidates and State Labor MPs circulating petitions to oppose the card. On the ground Labor is waking up to the impacts of a card that takes a top-down paternalistic approach to complex issues.
“I will bring the disallowance motion on for a vote in the next sitting week, I urge Labor to do the right thing and protect vulnerable Australians rather than a thought bubble by a billionaire”.