Albo blows $217m on scheme used by just 22 Qld welfare recipients

Independent Senator Jacqui Lambie asks what the government is doing following its removal of the cashless debit cards which resulted in an explosion of crime. “I’ll be heading to Western Australia to have a look at the Indigenous communities and see what has happened first of all since the cashless debit card got pulled,” Ms Lambie told Sky News Australia. “Which is not sitting pretty at the moment. “There are things that could be done right now that could make a significant difference in these Indigenous communities and I don’t know why we need to wait for something to be put in the constitution until anything is done and then work all that done. “What are we doing? Are we just going to sit for the next two years and do nothing in these Indigenous communities?”

The Albanese Government promised to scrap the Coalition’s Cashless Debit Card, but has replaced it with a voluntary SmartCard which operates in a similar way and participants kept the same account and card numbers.

Opposition Social Services spokeswoman Senator Anne Ruston accused the government of spending millions for “nothing more than a change of a card name”.

But a Labor Minister said there was more to the change than the name and defended it as keeping an election promise.

Never before released data shows just how few people have volunteered to stay on the income management card, which quarantined a portion on welfare payments to the card which can only be used at stores for products and services other than alcohol, gambling or withdrawing cash.

There were four CDC trial sites around the country, under Coalition policy, including Bundaberg and Hervey Bay.

A Senate estimates committee heard there were just 22 people who had voluntarily transitioned to the new SmartCard in that region.

Services Australia executive Jonathon Thorpe said the SmartCard had a range of differences from the former CDC, including greater wrap around services, the ability to block pornography and tobacco purchases as well as being able to make EFTPOS transactions.

Senator Ruston said the wrap around services did not relate to the functionality of the card, while the other changes were in train while the Coalition was still in government.

“Despite (Labor’s) assurances about your intention to implement all your election commitments … I still maintain my position that this has been nothing more than a change of card name,” she said.

Senator Ruston questioned the cost effectiveness of providing a services for just 22 people.

Services Australia CEO Rebecca Skinner said the small numbers in an individual location did not matter as it was run as a national system.

Senior Labor Minister Don Farrell said the government had promised to scrap the CDC while in Opposition.

“If we go to the election with a promise to the Australian people, then we are prepared to implement that promise in the Australian Government,” he said.

“There are significant differences between before and after.

“I know you want to characterise it as simply a name change, but that simply isn’t correct. There’s a lot more to it.”