Claire Chandler (Tasmania, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

It is a pleasure to rise to take note of the responses given by Minister Ruston in response to questions today, although I regret I may not quite do the topic such justice as my good colleague Senator O'Sullivan, who, I know, is incredibly passionate about the cashless debit card; indeed, he just spoke very passionately about it. I know Senator O'Sullivan has worked extensively in this space, both in his career prior to coming to this place and as a senator for Western Australia, to ensure that we get this policy right. He and many other members of the Morrison coalition government have been working very carefully and closely over the last 18 or so months to ensure that we get this right.

One of the comments that Senator O'Sullivan made in his contribution earlier that I would like to dwell on was that the communities we're talking about were calling on the government to implement the cashless debit card in the first place. I think that that is something that has perhaps been forgotten in the debate around the legislation that we've heard and will be hearing in this chamber later on this afternoon—that it is these communities in these areas that have requested this policy, that have suggested that this policy is a way to solve some of the problems that we are seeing in these communities. Senator O'Sullivan used an expression that this cashless debit card could be a 'circuit-breaker' to help people in these communities deal with some of the social issues that are causing such great problems locally, reducing alcohol, drug consumption, gambling and these sorts of things. So I think that this policy will certainly go some way to dealing with these issues, and that can only ever be a good thing.

Senator Watt said in his contribution just now that—and this is something we are hearing over and over again—there is no evidence that backs up what the government is trying to do with this policy. I absolutely refute that assertion. Fortunately, in the Senate, we have these things called committees that conduct inquiries into legislation. One of the great joys of my job as a senator is that we can come to this place and take legislation that has been passed in the other place to its relevant committee, put that legislation out to the broader Australian community and have a conversation around whether or not what is in the legislation is going to deal with the issues that we're trying to rectify. Indeed, the cashless debit card legislation went to the Community Affairs Legislation Committee, chaired by my good friend and fellow Tasmanian senator Wendy Askew. That committee has conducted a number of hearings at which evidence has been presented that this policy is needed and that this policy will work.

I would like to quote from Robyn Nolan—the president of the National Council of Women Australia, a great Western Australian, like Senator O'Sullivan—who said at the Community Affairs Legislation Committee, earlier last month, on 5 November:

I've spoken to women and family members in the Kimberley. They are pleased with the card. They can feed their families. Kids aren't going to school hungry and, according to those working in the refuge, serious assaults and domestic and family violence reports have declined. Kids who were caught trying to steal food have also declined …

If this isn't evidence that this policy is a good idea, will work and will make lives better for the people in these communities where the cashless debit card is being rolled out then I don't know what is. I do wonder whether or not those on the opposition benches have read the report of the Community Affairs Legislation Committee, which of course recommended that this legislation be passed by the Senate. Like I say, we have Senate committees so they can take legislation to the Australian public, ask them for ideas and feedback and make a recommendation to this place.

Question agreed to.