Sharon Claydon (Newcastle, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I also have some questions I'd like to put through to the minister now. The simple reality of this bill is that it is racially discriminatory, and the rollout of the cashless debit card as proposed by the government is disproportionately impacting on First Nations people. Sixty-eight per cent of people who will be forced onto the cashless debit card are First Nations people. Over 23,000 of the 34,000 people impacted by this card will be Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander people. That includes more than 18,000 people in the Northern Territory. This is an incredibly clear example of policy being done to First Nations people, not with them. My question to the minister is: how can you honestly believe that this bill is not racially discriminatory?

I also note that First Nations peak bodies have been united in their position to oppose the forced rollout of the cashless debit card. Their position has been united and, indeed, clear. They've said that nobody should have this program forced on them, that this program clearly represents and reinforces the colonial attitudes that they struggle against every day. It is yet another example of the government telling First Nations people that they aren't equals, that they don't deserve to have control over their own lives and that they would somehow benefit from a massive oversight and patronising paternalism of government to survive. My question to the minister is: if you didn't listen to First Nations people when drafting this legislation—the group who will be most impacted by this bill—who did you listen to?

This bill, like so many that have come from those who sit on government benches, lacks any evidence base. I am happy to provide the minister with some evidence now. Let's look at this. Researchers from four universities uncovered an overwhelming number of negative experiences stemming from the card, ranging from feelings of stigma, shame and frustration to practical issues, such as the cardholder simply not having enough cash for essential items or important things like paying for their child to go to a school camp or buying the little things that they need. My question to the minister is: who did you consult when drafting the legislation? What evidence was provided that supports this bill?

See this speech in context