Sue Lines (WA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I am extremely uncomfortable about this debit card and I have not raised my voice to you. I have asked you legitimate questions and, yes, I am concerned about the rollout of this card on the ground. I am absolutely entitled to not only ask the question but receive an appropriate answer. It is a real-life experience that somebody could well lose their card on a Saturday or Sunday and, despite the Prime Minister saying that we live in a seven-day economy, I do not agree with him. I am asking a legitimate question about how the replacement will occur. I appreciate that you have told me that it will not take weeks but, for example, if you get the trial up in Kununurra and you have to wait for some 'okay' from Canberra or Perth, that can take weeks. I am asking a legitimate question in a reasonable way about what happens when a card is lost on the weekend. I want to know what access there is for people to get food for their family or whatever else it is that they need. That is a reasonable question and I think the government really should have thought through the answer to that question.