James McGrath (Queensland, Liberal National Party, Shadow Assistant Minister to the Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Hansard source

or McGRATH () (): Time and time again, we hear fake cries from Labor and the Greens about the importance of consulting Australians on issues that affect them—that is, of course, until they are in government. Then, of course, things change. Seemingly overnight, Albanese and Labor have become all-knowing! They have an infinite knowledge of what is best for Australians. Don't dare question the so-called wisdom of Labor or the Greens. The swift and stealthy abolition of the cashless debit card by Labor and the Greens serves as another fine example of inner-city elites claiming to know what is best for you. Never mind the fact that most of these privileged Labor and Greens politicians have never set foot and will never set foot in the remote Indigenous communities and have never spoken and will never speak with those who directly benefit from the cashless debit card.

Of course, there is no need, as these Canberra based politicians know best! How could one forget? That is especially the Greens MPs, from the inner-city suburbs, who share this deep and profound understanding of so-called issues affecting these communities yet have not found the time to consult amidst their very, very busy virtue-signalling. Don't let the increased rates of domestic violence, rape, assault, sexual assault, alcoholism or drug use get in the way of Labor and the Greens' plans to scrap the cashless debit card. Remember—these politicians know better than the communities facing these challenges!

The Albanese government's decision to abolish the cashless debit card has given the green light to more alcohol and drug abuse and more violence in some of our most vulnerable communities. Labor has recklessly walked away from these communities. Labor and the Greens do not care about the real-life consequences for the people of these communities. They would rather feel good about themselves as they scrap the cashless debit card in the name of their so-called fairness agenda. As long as these Labor and Green politicians cannot see the rampant alcoholism, the sexual assaults, the rape, the domestic violence and the drug abuse in these communities, then, in their minds, it does not exist.

This sensible and life-changing measure is being abolished so these Labor and Green politicians can just feel good about themselves. Prime Minister Albanese, Labor and the Greens know better than the director of strategy of the Cape York Partnership, Noel Pearson, who fears abolishing the cashless debit card will wipe out 20 years worth of his work in vulnerable Indigenous communities. Mr Pearson has said that once the card is gone the government will walk away, leaving his people to struggle with the return of violence, hunger and neglected children.

With virtually no consultation, Labor has made it easier for those at risk to spend their taxpayer funded payments on activities and substances that cause harm to themselves, cause harm to their families and cause harm to their communities. If you don't believe me, take it from the Minderoo Foundation, who are concerned the decision to abolish the cashless debit card is being rushed through parliament without appropriate or meaningful community consultation. They said the removal of the cashless debit card has the potential to exacerbate vulnerability and this must be avoided at all costs.

These are the voices Prime Minister Albanese, Labor and the Greens conveniently silenced. Why? Because it does not fit their narrative. Please, spare us your sanctimonious lectures on community consultation. You're ramming this through after being in power for only four months. This decision will inevitably bring more alcoholism, more domestic violence, more hunger and malnourishment of children, and more rape and drug abuse.

I can't wait for Labor and the Greens to step forward and accept responsibility. When they don't—and they won't—we will be holding them accountable for this appalling decision they are proposing to make. I cannot wait for the MPs who support the cashless debit card's abolishment to head to these communities to help fight the scourge of alcohol and drug fuelled domestic violence alongside, in many cases, the understaffed and under-resourced local police. I know that won't happen. If the government is successful in abolishing the cashless debit card, the Prime Minister and his inner-city-dominated government will be responsible for every additional violent crime and neglected child that will inevitably occur as a result. This government has not just botched the process; it is going to botch the future for so many important Australians.

Findings from an independent impact evaluation by the University of Adelaide, released in 2021, reported that the cashless debit card has helped recipients improve their lives and the lives of their families and other community members. Findings include: 25 per cent of people reported they are drinking less since the cashless debit card's introduction; 21 per cent of cashless debit card participants reported gambling less, and evidence found that cash previously used for gambling has been redirected to essentials such as food; and 45 per cent of cashless debit card participants reported the cashless debit card had improved things for themselves and their families. There have been more than a dozen evaluations of the cashless debit card that have provided consistent evidence about welfare quarantine policies, showing decreases in drug and alcohol issues, decreases in crime violence and antisocial behaviour, improvements in child health and wellbeing, and improved financial management.

Of course, Labor won't let these black-and-white facts get in the way of this reckless policy decision. When they scrap the cashless debit card, they will be directly responsible for the harm that is inflicted on individuals, families and entire communities. If Labor had bothered to properly consult with communities and speak to people on the front line, they would know there is overwhelming community support for the cashless debit card. It has saved families and transformed communities. The Western Australia police commissioner, Col Blanch, said the card has been beneficial in remote communities. He highlighted how it gives an opportunity for the more senior people in families and the elders of Aboriginal communities to use the money on food for children and necessities. He said:

It just seems to settle the community down and gives them better opportunity to spend their money on priority needs.

Another facility Labor and the Greens would have you believe is that every single cent on the card is quarantined. This is not true. Generally, only 80 per cent of the recipient's welfare payment is quarantined onto the card. The remaining 20 per cent of the recipient's social security payments are transferred into the recipient's bank account and can be withdrawn and used without restriction. Those in Labor and the Greens might find this hard to believe, but the card is effective in blocking the purchase of alcohol and gambling products and only permits a portion of payments to be withdrawn as cash. Reducing the amount of cash that can be withdrawn also reduces the card user's ability to spend welfare payments on illegal drugs. This is fair. This is simple. As has been pointed out earlier this evening, no, it is not a silver bullet, but it has been effective in bringing about positive change in regional communities. You cannot argue with those facts.

Those of us in the coalition have always believed in ensuring we care for and protect the most vulnerable in our society. Those opposite constantly purport to share this belief. However, the removal of the cashless debit card will bring violence and chaos back into the lives of our most vulnerable and will wreak havoc in regional communities. After all, Labor are only pursuing this policy because it makes them feel good about themselves. It makes those who live comfortable lives in comfortable homes in our capital cities feel warm and fuzzy inside. It is sickening to think that Labor's politicking has caused them to stoop so low that they have no regard for the safety and the welfare of the vulnerable in these communities, so long as they can abolish this card and give themselves a pat on the back.

Meanwhile, Indigenous women and children are pleading for this card to stay. Regional police are begging for the card to stay. Indigenous elders are pleading for this card to stay. Regional mayors are pleading for this card to stay. Labor likes to bang on about an Indigenous Voice in this place, but the sad truth is that, according to them, Labor politicians and inner-city elites are the only voices worth listening to, not those whose lives will be directly affected if the cashless welfare card is scrapped. Quite simply, if you cannot directly see or are not directly affected by the alcohol and drug fuelled domestic violence, rape, child neglect and sexual assault, then it does not exist.

Of course, context is absent from the Labor-Greens narrative that this card is somehow inherently racist. They wouldn't have you know that the cashless debit card is part of a suite of measures to help people improve their circumstances. The coalition government made a total investment in supportive services of more than $110 million across cashless debit card sites, including a $30 million jobs fund and a job-ready initiative to strengthen local support services and help participants in cashless debit card communities to upskill, become job ready and get on pathways of employment and including $50 million for drug and alcohol residential rehabilitation facilities.

If the Labor government had bothered to properly consult, it would have heard firsthand how the cashless debit card is making a real, positive difference across many communities from community leaders like Kalgoorlie-Boulder mayor John Bowler, who expressed his frustration:

It almost seems they [Labor] are putting the cart before the horse …

I would have liked for them to come here, consult with us, consult with the community, and then make a decision.

The coalition condemns the government for seeking to extend the BasicsCard in the Northern Territory without consultation or transparency while at the same time seeking to abolish the cashless debit card. Stakeholders consistently gave evidence that the cashless debit card was a significantly superior mechanism for the delivery of income management.

Recent data from the Department of Social Services reveals that more than 4,500 people are currently voluntarily using the cashless debit card in the Northern Territory. Under the proposed legislation, these individuals will be forced to move back to the BasicsCard. It is unclear how many of these almost 4,500 people the government consulted or what their reactions were when they were told they would no longer have access to the cashless debit card. There is no evidence that any of these people were consulted.

Labor like to think they are crusaders for fairness and social justice by scrapping this card. In actual fact, they are condemning families and entire communities to more chaos and violence. Shame on them. These people will not forget, and we will not forget, because we will hold this Labor-Green government to account for what havoc and what nastiness they have unleashed within these communities.