Rick Wilson (O'Connor, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Social Services. Will the minister update the House on the action the government is taking to assist welfare recipients with drug, alcohol and gambling addictions? Is the minister aware of any measures to expand those programs, particularly in my electorate of O'Connor?

Dan Tehan (Wannon, Liberal Party, Minister for Social Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for his question, and note that he has always been a strong advocate for those in his local community. In September last year, the Prime Minister and the then Minister for Human Services visited the member for O'Connor and spoke with communities in the Goldfields about the cashless debit card. I acknowledge the former Minister for Human Services and the commitment that he showed to the cashless debit card and getting these trials up and running.

These communities told them about their experiences with domestic violence—

An opposition member: Just table your notes!

I don't think we should be funny about this.

Opposition members interjecting—

They told them about their experiences with domestic violence, with alcoholism and with drug abuse. And they met with a councillor from the Coolgardie shire who recounted her experiences about how young children have their futures destroyed when money isn't spent on food, on clothes and on the necessities that we take for granted. She spoke to them on behalf of her community, about how they wanted to try the cashless debit card. And after seeing what it has done for others in Ceduna and the East Kimberley, the government is committed—and I'm sure, in every way, everyone in this parliament is committed—to reducing the social harm caused by welfare fuelled alcohol abuse, drug abuse and gambling in areas with high levels of welfare dependency.

We are trying new programs and policies because we want to find a solution, and the welfare card is working. Forty-eight per cent of drug takers are using fewer drugs, forty-one per cent of those who have alcohol issues are drinking less and forty-eight per cent of gamblers are gambling less. While the government appreciates the support that's been provided by the opposition on the continuation of the trials in Ceduna and East Kimberley, we call on them to support the expansion of the card to additional communities. We will see the best results when we all work together on these issues. These trials are working, and we want to roll them out, and continue to roll them out, including in the seat of the member for Hinkler. We ask for the opposition's support in continuing to do these trials, and we do so in a bipartisan manner.