Anne Ruston (SA, Liberal Party, Minister for Families and Social Services) Share this | Hansard source

Senator Siewert, once I have received the evaluation and had the opportunity to evaluate it—

Senator Siewert interjecting—

Senator Siewert that is not correct. I will release the report. I've been on the public record on a number of occasions to say that I will release that report. But can I just put on the record that there is nobody in this chamber that's more frustrated than me about the lack of quantitative data around these measures. As you rightly point out, the government has put millions of dollars into these evaluations, and they do provide valuable insights. We have had a number of reports commissioned over the years. You would be much more aware of the time frames of these. Your interest in this matter goes back a very long way, but mine does, too, particularly in the Ceduna area before I came to this place. They do provide very valuable insights and thoughts about the cashless debit card, but what they haven't been able to provide, and what I want to get access to, is the hard, quantitative data.

I accept that it is incredibly disappointing that we're not standing here with the kind of information that we would have liked. I'd like to be able to tell you the amount of money that went through bottle shops before and after the trial, I'd like to tell you about the number of hospital presentations and I'd like to tell you about the number of police call-outs. But all I have is anecdotal evidence from speaking to the police, or medical people or the call-out centre, and travelling with the MAPs bus. I have that information, and it's consistent and it's consistent across all the sites.

I hear what you're saying, Senator Siewert, and that is what I intend to do.