Pauline Hanson (Queensland, Pauline Hanson's One Nation Party) Share this | Hansard source

One Nation will be voting against this disallowance motion. I actually went to a committee meeting in Kalgoorlie to listen to the concerns about the cashless debit card. It was overwhelming that the community there—businesses, community leaders, the mayor and councillors, and even the Aboriginal community themselves—have actually endorsed the card and are basically pleading with everyone to leave it in place. Yes, there are some objections to it and there were concerns about it, but we have to be responsible here. There are clearly problems in these communities. It's not just targeting, as Senator Siewert said, the Aboriginal community; it's right across the board for everyone.

They are still getting their entitlements; it's just being handed out in a different way—in a more responsible way, I believe. Minderoo have done some investigations into it and their findings are that 41 per cent of drinkers on the card said that they were drinking less, 48 per cent of drug users on the card said they were using drugs less, there has been an increase in children going to school and 48 per cent of gamblers on the card said they were gambling less. They still have use of the moneys; it's just that it is not in cash, ready to use. In a lot of ways, it's just saying, 'Take more responsibility and use the money wisely.' A lot of families are not spending the money on their children—to feed them and put food on the table—but the money is used for drink or it's used for gambling, or other family members come along and take the money off them. It's a custom of the Aboriginal people—what is yours belongs to everyone. So I think it's very good that way.

There is a huge problem in Kalgoorlie. There is lot of violence on the streets, there is abuse and there is drunkenness. It's going to affect the tourism industry. It has clearly been stated in reports put out by the police that crime is actually down due to the card. Mr Desmond Hill, from Kununurra in the East Kimberley, said:

I've actually seen more kids go to school with uniforms. I've had grandparents say that they're happy the cards are there because now their children have food in the fridge, the kids are clothed and they're all going to school. We're living with the changes, albeit it took 18 months to see the changes happening. They are actually happening.

Councillor Allan Suter, mayor of the District Council of Ceduna, informed the committee that the cashless debit card trial has been the most effective initiative to address excessive use of alcohol, drugs and gambling products in Ceduna and that it has resulted in significant improvements for families, particularly for children.

Yet the Greens stand here and say, 'You're taking away their rights; it's against human rights!' Let me go back to what the committee said:

The committee acknowledges concerns that the bill may limit a participant's human rights. However, the committee is satisfied that the bill only limits those rights to the extent required to realise the objective of the card to reduce the social harm caused by the excessive use of alcohol, drugs and gambling.

We are sick and tired of the Greens' bleeding-heart attitude because it's against people's rights. It's not against their rights. It's about time we started helping people. Clearly, the way our society is going now, it's not working. If they truly care about the kids and our societies, sometimes tough love is the best way to go with it. That's the best way to help these people. The best way to help the future generations is to take actually take control of it. This is taxpayers' money and it needs to be spent wisely to help these communities, because they are screaming out for it. They said to Senator Siewert at that meeting: 'If this is not the answer, then tell us what is, because you don't live here; you have no idea of what it's like on our streets and in our communities. If you think you know the answer then come here and live here. Don't tell us how to run our communities.' That's how they feel about it.

Senator Siewert interjecting—

Oh yes, they did, because they were quite angry. I was at that meeting. I damn well know what happened there—through the chair. Anyway, I will oppose this disallowance motion. I think it is in the best interests. It has proven its worth. People who live in those communities have stated that it has helped, and it needs to be rolled out in other areas. That is what I'm saying. I do support the cashless debit card and I oppose the Greens disallowance motion.