Rowan Ramsey (Grey, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Social Services. I refer to the minister's visit to Ceduna last Friday, where she confirmed that she witnessed firsthand the direct result of the government's policy to scrap the cashless debit card, which saw street brawls and a large number of intoxicated individuals arguing and fighting. Is this the tragic but predictable outcome for Ceduna because the government has scrapped the cashless debit card?

Amanda Rishworth (Kingston, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Social Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I'd like to thank the member for his question. I was very pleased to visit Ceduna last Friday, where I was able to engage with a range of different organisations and services to talk to them about what they needed going forward to make sure that they were supported and properly provided with services. One thing that was made very clear was that the council—I met with the mayor and other services—were very clear that they wanted a positive vision for Ceduna going forward. They wanted to make sure that I understood that there was a positive message in the town.

So, yes, I was able to also speak with the police, and they made it very, very clear that they could not attribute antisocial behaviour that happens from time to time to the abolition of the card. In fact, I did want to pick out a little bit of misinformation. There have been a number of anecdotal comments and reports made—I understand that this is a very emotional issue—but we've got to deal with the facts when it comes to this issue. On one site there were reports of antisocial behaviour two days after royal assent—of an increase in the number of people sleeping rough in a particular town. Of course, no income or other changes had actually happened two days after royal assent, so that was absolutely inconsistent with the actual evidence.

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The minister will pause. I give the call to the member for Grey.

Rowan Ramsey (Grey, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My point of order is on relevance. We are one minute and 45 seconds into this answer, and there has been no confirmation from the minister—

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Resume your seat. The minister is being entirely relevant. Your question was about her visit to Ceduna. She is speaking about her visit to Ceduna. She is giving a detailed answer to your question. I give her the call.

Amanda Rishworth (Kingston, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Social Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

What I did speak with a number of organisations about is what support they need to address longstanding issues in the community that have existed for some time.

And I must say, if the member actually got out to Ceduna a bit more often, he might understand that on that day there was a funeral in town and there were a number of people that had come from outside the Ceduna area—indeed, from outside the five different communities surrounding. There were significantly high tensions and grief in the town. So it was a particularly sad day in Ceduna and the surrounding communities for this significant sorry business.

I was also very pleased to be in town to deliver a commitment of $17 million for economic development in the town. This was money that the former government announced and never delivered, and I was welcomed in that town because we are delivering money to those communities.

Honourable members interjecting—

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! There is far too much noise! When the House comes to order, we will hear from the member for Fremantle.

The member for O'Connor is warned. I just said I wanted silence in the House. He's continually interjecting. If he does it one more time, he will leave the chamber. I give the call to the member for Fremantle.