Controversial Cashless Welfare Card Will Be Rolled Out In Indigenous Communities

    The Healthy Welfare Card will be rolled out after being approved in the senate.

    Allan Clarke
    by Allan Clarke

    BuzzFeed News Reporter, Australia

    The federal government's bill to trial the cashless welfare card has been approved and will be rolled out in three communities, including Ceduna in South Australia where the majority of people affected will be Aboriginal.

    Jannhuizenga / Getty Images

    "This visa debit card is an ordinary one in every sense of the word. It will be able to be used anywhere to purchase anything but simply won't work at the bottle shop or gambling houses and you won't be able to get cash from it," Assistant Social Services Minister Alan Tudge said after the bill was passed.

    People on the card will be able to receive withdraw 20 percent of their payments as cash while the other 80 percent will be quarantined on the cashless card, which can then be used to buy goods and services.

    Tudge, along with several Aboriginal organisations from Ceduna, signed a memorandum of understanding earlier this year regarding the scheme, saying that it would help stop alcohol abuse, violence and gambling within the area.

    The card has come under fire from some community members who say that it punishes those who are doing the right thing and assumes that Indigenous people are unable to manage their own finances.

    Ceduna elders meet with Senator Lambie and Senator Xenophon (Supplied)

    “It basically says that I can’t manage my own affairs even though I can look after my sick husband, but I can’t look after my own finances? This is discriminating against everyone who is doing the right thing,” Ceduna elder Sue Haseldine told BuzzFeed News last week.

    Haseldine along with 45 community members voiced their concerns with independent senators Jacqui Lambie and Nick Xenophon last week.

    “This should definitely be voluntary, I’ve got a niece on it voluntarily and she loves it and it’s working for her. It should also be targeted: Three strikes and you get rehab, if that doesn’t work then you are put on it, it certainly should not be mandatory.”

    The Greens have been heavily opposed to the Healthy Welfare Card saying it strips people of their dignity.

    Rachel Siewert @SenatorSiewert

    Shame the #HEALTHYWelfareCard just got passed by the Senate #auspol

    Reply Retweet Favorite

    "Creating a class of citizens in this country that no longer has the ability to control how they spend their money is the wrong way to go," said Greens MP Adam Bandt.

    "There is no evidence that this approach works, in fact, there's lots of evidence that it strips people of their dignity."

    The Healthy Welfare Card will be trialled for a 12 month period in Ceduna starting in February.

    Like BuzzFeed Australia on Facebook.