Rachel Siewert (WA, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Tonight I rise to speak about the cashless welfare card. The government said it was going to consult with the local community and only introduce a cashless welfare card if the community accepted it. I have a copy of letter to the Prime Minister from Aboriginal organisations in Geraldton. It reads:

Dear Prime Minister

On 28 April 2016, representatives from Aboriginal non-government organisations were united in a decision to not support a Commonwealth cashless welfare card in Geraldton. This decision is based on the feedback from the Aboriginal community who have shared their concerns about the effects that this card would have on their lives. Whilst we understand and accept that our community has social issues—including drug and alcohol misuse, child abuse and domestic violence—a mandated card would not be successful in addressing these multiple and complex issues. It will not assist people to better manage their money or make healthy informed choices. With this in mind, we do support a card that is voluntary and case managed by professionals who demonstrate competent practice in addressing the needs of Aboriginal people and the wider community of people who require support to make changes to address the fundamental underlying causes of dysfunction.

At the community engagement meeting hosted by the Bundiyarra Aboriginal Community Aboriginal Corporation and facilitated by the Department of Social Services, the Aboriginal community were invited to share their opinions and concerns with the government representatives present. During this meeting the Aboriginal community openly shared their concerns and offered practical solutions to address the issues in our community. To blatantly ignore the voices of those who contributed to this discussion is disrespectful, contrary to efforts made to close the gap and further disadvantages the already most disadvantaged group of people in this country.

This card has been described by the community as being out of alignment with the declaration of human rights and clearly disregards recommendations from reports such as the Bringing them home report, which recognise the detrimental impacts of paternalistic policies by government and non-government organisations. For Aboriginal organisations and people to accept a cashless welfare card is to revert to past practices of control and oppression of human rights. We look forward to working collaboratively with relevant government agencies to close the gap in such a manner as to uplift the nobility of the Aboriginal people of Australia.

This is a very clear rejection of the cashless welfare card by Aboriginal people in Geraldton.

Further, there is a media release that in fact came out today. It says, 'Local Aboriginal elder and community advocates reject the introduction of a trial cashless welfare card system in Geraldton, calling on the federal government to take their social experiment elsewhere. To date in the community there has been no suitable consultative process with recipients of welfare payments, federal government officials organising meetings with select community members behind closed doors and suggestions of millions of dollars to accompany the introduction of the card, which Aboriginal members believe could be better used to develop wraparound services now with existing resources and services in Geraldton.'

Clearly, the Aboriginal community has spoken loudly and clearly. They do not support a cashless welfare card being rolled out in Geraldton. If the government is dinkum in their comments on the cashless welfare card that they will do community consultation, if the community does not want it, they will not push ahead with it. The public meeting that I was at, helped convene and reported to this chamber last sitting very clearly said, 'No, we do not want this cashless welfare card.' Aboriginal organisations have clearly carefully considered this issue and on 28 April, last week, held another meeting and decided that they did not want to accept this card, as is reflected in that letter to the Prime Minister. There has been a media release issued. It is very clear that the community is rejecting this card.

The government said that they would not go ahead with the card if the community rejected it. They have clearly rejected it. The government has gone ahead and put money in the budget for another trial of the cashless welfare card. Take it away and spend it on wraparound services that truly support the most vulnerable in our community. The Prime Minister said in his closing-the-gap speech not long ago in Parliament House that they should listen to Aboriginal people about what they want. They clearly do not want this cashless welfare card. I urge the government not to proceed with another trial site for the cashless welfare card and to let Geraldton know that they will not proceed with this card in Geraldton. I urge Melissa Price, the member for Durack, to reconsider her support for this card. Her constituents do not want this card.