Linda Burney (Barton, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Families and Social Services) Share this | Hansard source

It's important for people to note that the minister admitted, in budget estimates, that she had not read the evaluation before the decision was taken to move to this legislation. Now, to me that is lazy and it's reprehensible. It shows that this is not about evidence, this is not about what it means out there on the ground; this is actually about ideology.

Now, Labor have been extraordinarily clear about this legislation. We have said, if people want to volunteer to be on the card, it is not the business of government or anyone else to stand in the way of voluntary application. What we object to is the mandatory nature of this. It has been proven in other jurisdictions that mandatory application of welfare is a failure, and my prediction is that this will be no different. In fact, the evaluation that was done by Adelaide university, in conjunction with Monash University, on Ceduna in South Australia actually demonstrated that. It demonstrated there had not been fewer people to present at emergency, it had not stopped drugs and it had not stopped drinking. But all we hear from the government is hearsay, hearsay on whether this works or not.

Well, hearsay is not good enough for me and it's not good enough for the Labor Party! We want evidence. It is reasonable, on behalf of all of those people, that evidence is provided. And clearly the decision of this government about the mandatory nature of the four trial sites and, heaven forbid, the automatic movement of 23,000 people in the Northern Territory from the BasicsCard to the cashless debit card is not voluntary. It's mandatory.

An opposition member: It's social engineering.

And it's social engineering, as my good friend just said. It is not appropriate. There is a thing called human rights. There is a thing called social justice. And there's a thing called human—

Government members interjecting—

An honourable member: Pull your head in!

I think the people who will be affected by this know what is best for them. And it is not simply about a technology change. Don't give me that rubbish.

Mr Howarth interjecting—

Do not give me that rubbish!

Honourable members interjecting—

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