Chapter 1 - Introduction

[1]        For information on the existing cashless debit card program, see the Department of Social Services website at https://www.dss.gov.au/families-and-children/programmes-services/welfare-conditionality/cashless-debit-card-overview.

[2]        Social Services Legislation Amendment (Cashless Debit Card Trial Expansion) Bill 2018, Explanatory memorandum (Explanatory memorandum), p. 2.

[3]        Community Affairs Legislation Committee, Social Security Legislation Amendment (Debit Card Trial) Bill 2015, 12 October 2015.

[4]        Community Affairs Legislation Committee, Social Services Legislation Amendment (Cashless Debit Card) Bill 2017, 6 December 2017.

[5]        Social Security Legislation Amendment (Debit Card Trial) Bill 2015, Explanatory memorandum (Debit card trial bill explanatory memorandum), p. 4.

[6]        Debit card trial bill explanatory memorandum, pp. 2–3.

[7]        Debit card trial bill explanatory memorandum, p. 4.

[8]        Department of Social Services, Welfare Quarantining, https://www.dss.gov.au/our-responsibilities/families-and-children/programmes-services/welfare-quarantining
(accessed 14 August 2018).

[9]        Social Services Legislation Amendment (Cashless Debit Card) Bill 2017, Explanatory memorandum (Cashless debit card bill explanatory memorandum), p. 2.

[10]      Cashless debit card bill explanatory memorandum, p. 2.

[11]      Explanatory memorandum, p. 2.

[12]      Community Affairs Legislation Committee, Social Services Legislation Amendment (Cashless Debit Card) Bill 2017, 6 December 2017, pp. 2–3.

[13]      Social Services Legislation Amendment (Cashless Debit Card) Bill 2017, Schedule of the amendment made by the Senate, 12 February 2018.

[14]      Social Services Legislation Amendment (Cashless Debit Card) Bill 2017, Supplementary explanatory memorandum, p. 2.

[15]      The Hon Alan Tudge MP, Minister for Human Services, 'Evaluation finds "considerable positive impact" from cashless debit card trial', Media release, 1 September 2017.

[16]      Auditor-General Report No.1 2018–1: The Implementation and Performance of the Cashless Debit Card Trial, July 2018, p. 8.

[17]      Explanatory memorandum, p. 5.

[18]      Explanatory memorandum, p. 6.

[19]      Explanatory memorandum, p. 6.

[20]      Explanatory memorandum, pp. 5–8.

[21]      Explanatory memorandum, p. 8.

[22]      Explanatory memorandum, pp. 8–9.

[23]      Social Services Legislation Amendment (Cashless Debit Card Trial Expansion) Bill 2018, cl. 14.

[24]      Explanatory memorandum, pp. 2, 9.

[25]      Department of Social Services, Submission 69, p. 4.

[26]      Explanatory memorandum, p. 2.

[27]      Parliamentary Joint Committee on Human Rights (human rights committee), Report 6 of 2018, 26 June 2018, p. 33. See also human rights committee reports: Thirty-first report of the 44th Parliament, 24 November 2015, pp. 21–36; 2016 Review of Stronger Futures measures, 16 March 2016, p. 61; Report 7 of 2016, 11 October 2016, pp. 58–61; Report 9 of 2017, 5 September 2017, pp. 34–40; Report 11 of 2017,17 October 2017, pp. 126–137.

[28]      Human rights committee, Report 6 of 2018, p. 33. See also: Social Services Legislation Amendment (Cashless Debit Card Trial Expansion) Bill 2018, Statement of compatibility with human rights.

[29]      Social Services Legislation Amendment (Cashless Debit Card Trial Expansion) Bill 2018, Statement of compatibility with human rights, p. 2.

[30]      Human rights committee, Report 6 of 2018, p. 38.

[31]      Senate Standing Committee for Scrutiny of Bills, Scrutiny Digest 6 of 2018, 20 June 2018, p. 64.

[32]      House of Representatives, Votes and proceedings, No. 115, 30 May 2018, p. 1573.

[33]      Journals of the Senate, No. 101, 21 June 2018, p. 3242.

[34]      House of Representatives, Votes and proceedings, No. 120, 21 June 2018, pp. 1635–1636.

[35]      Journals of the Senate, No. 102, 25 June 2018, p. 3284.

Chapter 2 - Key issues

[1]        See for example: PeakCare Queensland Inc, Submission 95, pp. 1, 5; Australian Association of Social Workers, Submission 46, p. 2; Anglicare Australia, Submission 52, p. 3; Name withheld, Submissions 2, 4, 7, 8, 11, 14, 18, 19, 29, 31, 32, and 86.

[2]        Department of Social Services, Submission 69, p. 2.

[3]        Name withheld, Submissions 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 11, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 29, 30, 31, 32, 72, 73, 78, 86, 87, 88, 89 and 92.

[4]        Ms Faye Whiffin, private capacity, Committee Hansard, 7 August 2018, p. 10.

[5]        Mr Steven Beer, General Manager Operations, IMPACT Community Services, Committee Hansard, 7 August 2018, p. 9.

[6]        Department of Social Services, answers to questions on notice, 7 August 2018 (received 10 August 2018).

[7]        Mr George Seymour, Submission 25, [p. 1].

[8]        Mr George Seymour, Submission 25, [p. 2]; National Social Security Rights Network (NSSRN), Submission 45, [p. 3];  Uniting Communities, Submission 51, pp. 8–9; Anglicare Australia, Submission 52, p. 3; Bundaberg Awareness Group, Submission 74, p. 4; Accountable Income Management Network (AIMN), Submission 76, p. 11; Associate Professor Janet Hunt, Submission 79, p. 3; UnitingCare Australia, Submission 81, p. 5; Australian Council of Social Service, Submission 60, p. 3.

[9]        Miss Kathryn Wilkes, Main Administrator, Say No to the Cashless Welfare Card Australia, Committee Hansard, 7 August 2018, p. 2; Mr George Seymour, Mayor, Fraser Coast Regional Council, Committee Hansard, 7 August 2018, p. 7; PeakCare Queensland, Submission 95, p. 5; Bundaberg Awareness Group, Submission 74, p. 1; ANU Centre for Social Research and Methods (ANUCSRM), Submission 80, p. 4. See also National Congress of Australia's First Peoples, Submission 82, p. 12;  Respect Inc, Submission 57, pp. 1–2.

[10]      Social Services Legislation Amendment (Cashless Debit Card Trial Expansion) Bill 2018, Statement of compatibility with human rights (Statement of compatibility), p. 2.

[11]      Social Services Legislation Amendment (Cashless Debit Card Trial Expansion) Bill 2018, Explanatory memorandum (Explanatory memorandum), p. 4.

[12]      Statement of compatibility, p. 3.

[13]      Department of Social Services, answers to questions on notice, 7 August 2018 (received 10 August 2018).

[14]      ANUCSRM, Submission 80, p. 2; AIMN, Submission 76, p. 17.

[15]      Parliamentary Joint Committee on Human Rights, Report 6 of 2018, p. 37.

[16]      Department of Social Services, answers to questions on notice, 7 August 2018 (received 10 August 2018).

[17]      ANUCSRM, Submission 80, p. 3.

[18]      Department of Social Services, Submission 69, p. 4.

[19]      Australian Human Rights Commission (AHRC), Submission 43, p. 2; AIMN, Submission 76, p. 17; ANUCSRM, Submission 80, p. 7.

[20]      ANUCSRM, Submission 80, p. 7. See also: Explanatory memorandum, p. 7.

[21]      Department of Social Services, answers to questions on notice, 7 August 2018 (received 10 August 2018).

[22]      See for example: Name withheld, Submissions 28, 40 and 55.

[23]      Uniting Communities, Submission 51, pp. 9–10; People With Disability Australia, Submission 58, p. 5; AIMN, Submission 76, p. 11.

[24]      Department of Social Services, Submission 69, p. 3.

[25]      The Hon Alan Tudge MP, Minister for Human Services, and Mr Keith Pitt MP, Federal Member for Hinkler, 'Cashless welfare card for Bundaberg/Hervey Bay', Media Release, 17 September 2017.

[26]      Department of Social Services, answers to questions on notice, 7 August 2018 (received 10 August 2018).

[27]      Ms Faye Whiffin, private capacity, Committee Hansard, 7 August 2018, p. 11.

[28]      Social Services Legislation Amendment (Cashless Debit Card Trial Expansion) Bill 2018, cl. 6.

[29]      National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation, Submission 39, p. 3; AIMN, Submission 76, p. 15; Dr Elise Klein, Submission 44, pp. 5–6.

[30]      Auditor-General Report No.1 2018–1: The Implementation and Performance of the Cashless Debit Card Trial (ANAO report), July 2018, p. 47.

[31]      ANAO report, p. 47.

[32]      Department of Social Services, answers to questions on notice, 7 August 2018 (received 10 August 2018).

[33]      The Hon Christian Porter MP, Attorney-General, House of Representatives Hansard, 21 June 2018, p. 33.

[34]      Name withheld, Submissions 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 11, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 29, 30, 31, 32, 72, 73, 78, 86, 87, 88, 89 and 92.

[35]      Council of Single Mothers and their Children and the National Council of Single Mothers and their Children, Submission 53, p. 2; Mr George Seymour, Submission 25, p. 1; National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation, Submission 39, p. 3, NSSRN, Submission 45, [p. 6]; Uniting Communities, Submission 51, pp. 2–3; Anglicare Australia, Submission 52, p. 3; Dr Shelley Bielefeld, Submission 68, p. 9; Say No To the Cashless Welfare Card Australia/No Cashless Debit Card Hinkler Region (SNTCWC/NCDCHR), Submission 75, [p. 1]; AIMN, Submission 76, p. 7; Australian Council of Social Service, Submission 60,
p 2.

[36]      See for example: Name withheld, Submissions 1, 16, 24, 40, 61, 62, 63 and 64.

[37]      Miss Kathryn Wilkes, Main Administrator, Say No to the Cashless Welfare Card Australia, Committee Hansard, 7 August 2018, pp. 1, 5.

[38]      Mr Peter Feerick, private capacity, Committee Hansard, 7 August 2018, p. 5.

[39]      Mr Steven Beer, General Manager Operations, IMPACT Community Services, Committee Hansard, 7 August 2018, p. 8.

[40]      NSSRN, Submission 45, [p. 8]; AIMN, GLSC p. 4.

[41]      AIMN, Submission 76, pp. 18–19. See also: SNTCWC/NCDCHR, Submission 75, [p. 4]; Name withheld, Submission 62, [p. 2].

[42]      Name withheld, Submissions 35, 36 and 62. See also: Dr Shelley Bielefeld, Submission 68, p. 1.

[43]      NSSRN, Submission 45, [p. 8].

[44]      Name withheld, Submission 36, [p. 3].

[45]      Name withheld, Submission 62, [p. 2].

[46]      Department of Social Services, Submission 69, p. 4.

[47]      Statement of compatibility, p. 7.

[48]      Social Security Administration Act 1999, s. 124PM.

[49]      Social Services Legislation Amendment (Cashless Debit Card Trial Expansion) Bill 2018, Schedule 1, Part 2.

[50]      Parliament of Australia, Bills of the current Parliament: Social Services Legislation Amendment (Housing Affordability) Bill 2017, http://parlinfo.aph.gov.au/parlInfo/search/display/display.w3p;query=Id%3A%22legislation%2Fbillhome%2Fr5974%22 (accessed 8 August 2018). See also: Explanatory memorandum, pp. 10–11.

[51]      AIMN, Submission 76, p. 5; AHRC, Submission 43, p. 6.

[52]      Community Affairs Legislation Committee, Social Services Legislation Amendment (Housing Affordability) Bill 2017 [Provisions], 6 December 2017, pp. 14–15.

[53]      Social Services Legislation Amendment (Cashless Debit Card Trial Expansion) Bill 2018, cl. 14; Explanatory memorandum, pp. 4, 9.

[54]      Dr Elise Klein, Submission 44, [p. 3]. Note: Indue Ltd has made available a list of excluded merchants, including merchants with a separate till for cashless debit card purchases, at https://indue.com.au/dct/merchants/excluded/.

[55]      ANUCSRM, Submission 80, p. 3.

[56]      AIMN, Submission 76, pp. 3–4.

[57]      Department of Social Services, Submission 69, p. 4.

[58]      Statement of compatibility, p. 7.

[59]      Community Affairs Legislation Committee, Social Services Legislation Amendment (Cashless Debit Card) Bill 2017, 6 December 2017, pp. 20–22.

[60]      NSSRN, Submission 45, [p. 5]; SNTCWC/NCDCHR, Submission 75, [p. 3]; No Cashless Card Kalgoorlie & Surrounds, Submission 37, [pp. 2–3].

[61]      No Cashless Card Kalgoorlie & Surrounds, Submission 37, [p. 2].

[62]      Name withheld, Submissions 33, 34, 36 and 85.

[63]      Department of Social Services, Submission 69, p. 5.

[64]      Miss Crystal Silk, private capacity, Committee Hansard, 7 August 2018, p. 2.

[65]      Mrs Selena Pattrick, Branch Manager, Welfare Quarantining and Gambling Branch, Department of Social Services, Committee Hansard, 7 August 2018, p. 18.

[66]      Mrs Annette Mason, NILS Coordinator, and Mrs Patti Webb, Retired NILS Coordinator, Bundaberg & District Neighbourhood Centre, Committee Hansard, 7 August 2018, pp. 3–4.

[67]      Department of Social Services, answers to questions on notice, 7 August 2018 (received 10 August 2018).

[68]      Name withheld, Submissions 1, 12, 24, 55, 56, 62 and 63; Australian Council of Social Service, Submission 60, p. 4;  UnitingCare Australia, Submission 81, p. 4; National Congress of Australia's First Peoples, Submission 82, p. 12; Dr Elise Klein, Submission 44, [p. 6]; NSSRN, Submission 45, [p. 5]; People With Disability Australia, Submission 58, p. 6; Australian Unemployed Workers Union, Submission 59, [p. 1]; Bundaberg Awareness Group, Submission 74, p. 2. See also: Commonwealth Ombudsman, Submission 27, p. 3.

[69]      Community Affairs Legislation Committee, Social Security Legislation Amendment (Debit Card Trial) Bill 2015, 12 October 2015, pp. 17–18.

[70]      Community Affairs Legislation Committee, Social Services Legislation Amendment (Cashless Debit Card) Bill 2017, 6 December 2017, pp. 20–22.

[71]      Department of Social Services, Submission 69, p. 3.

[72]      Community Affairs Legislation Committee, Social Services Legislation Amendment (Cashless Debit Card) Bill 2017, Department of Social Services, Submission 8¸ [p. 1].

[73]      See for example: AHRC, Submission 43, p. 3; Council of Single Mothers and their Children and the National Council of Single Mothers and their Children, Submission 53, p. 8.

[74]      Dr Elise Klein, Submission 44, [p. 5]; People With Disability Australia, Submission 58, p. 5.

[75]      ANAO report, p. 9.

[76]      Commonwealth Ombudsman, Submission 27, p. 3.

[77]      Community and Public Sector Union, Submission 50, p. 1.

[78]      Uniting Communities, Submission 51, p. 7.

[79]      Mrs Selena Pattrick, Branch Manager, Welfare Quarantining and Gambling Branch, Department of Social Services, Committee Hansard, 7 August 2018, p. 17.

[80]      Indue Ltd, 'Local partners', https://indue.com.au/dct/localpartners/ (accessed 10 August 2018).

[81]      Mrs Selena Pattrick, Branch Manager, Welfare Quarantining and Gambling Branch, Department of Social Services, Committee Hansard, 7 August 2018, p. 17.

[82]      Community Affairs Legislation Committee, Social Services Legislation Amendment (Cashless Debit Card) Bill 2017, 6 December 2017, pp. 13–15.

[83]      See: National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation, Submission 39; AHRC, Submission 43; Dr Elise Klein, Submission 44; Adjunct Professor Eva Cox, Submission 49; Dr Shelley Bielefeld, Submission 68; Associate Professor Janet Hunt, Submission 79; ANUCSRM, Submission 80; among others.

[84]      ANAO report, p. 38.

[85]      ANAO report, p. 44.

[86]      ANAO report, p. 44.

[87]      Ms Elizabeth Hefren-Webb, Deputy Secretary, Families and Communities, Department of Social Services, Committee Hansard, 7 August 2018, p. 13.

[88]      Ms Elizabeth Hefren-Webb, Deputy Secretary, Families and Communities, Department of Social Services, Committee Hansard, 7 August 2018, pp. 13–14.

[89]      Goldfields Land and Sea Council, Submission 9, pp. 3–4; Queensland Council of Social Service, Submission 41, Attachment A; AHRC, Submission 43, pp. 1–3; NSSRN,Submission 45, [p. 8].

[90]      Parliamentary Joint Committee on Human Rights, Report 6 of 2018, pp. 33, 38.

[91]      Community Affairs Legislation Committee, Social Security Legislation Amendment (Debit Card Trial) Bill 2015, 12 October 2015, pp. 14–17.

[92]      Community Affairs Legislation Committee, Social Services Legislation Amendment (Cashless Debit Card) Bill 2017, 6 December 2017, pp. 24–26.

[93]      Statement of compatibility, p. 11.

[94]      Statement of compatibility, p. 9. See also: Department of Social Services, Submission 69, p. 4.

Dissenting Report by Labor Senators

[1]        Kathryn Wilkes, Committee Hansard, 7 August 2018, p. 1.

[2]        Peter Feerick, Committee Hansard, 7 August 2018, p. 3.

[3]        Peter Feerick, Committee Hansard, 7 August 2018, p. 3.

[4]        Kathryn Wilkes, Committee Hansard, 7 August 2018, p. 5.

[5]        Peter Feerick, Committee Hansard, 7 August 2018, p. 5.

[6]        Crystal Silk, Committee Hansard, 7 August 2018, p. 2.

[7]        Crystal Silk, Committee Hansard, 7 August 2018, p. 2.

[8]        Councillor Seymour, Committee Hansard, 7 August 2018, p. 7.

[9]        Councillor Seymour, Committee Hansard, 7 August 2018, p. 7.

[10]      Councillor Seymour, Committee Hansard, 7 August 2018, p. 7.

[11]      Crystal Silk, Committee Hansard, 7 August 2018, p. 2.

[12]      Auditor-General's Report, The Implementation and Performance of the Cashless Debit Card Trial, p. 8.

Dissenting Report by the Australian Greens

[1]        Accountable Income Management Network, Submission 76, pp. 9-10.

[2]        Accountable Income Management Network, Submission 76, p. 4.

[3]        Parliamentary Joint Committee on Human Rights, Report 6 of 2018, p. 37.

[4]        Australian Human Rights Commission, Submission 43, p. 2.

[5]        Accountable Income Management Network, Submission 76, p. 4.

[6]        Accountable Income Management Network, Submission 76, p. 18.

[7]        Parliamentary Joint Committee on Human Rights, Report 6 of 2018, p. 37.

[8]        Accountable Income Management Network, Submission 76, p. 4.

[9]        Accountable Income Management Network, Submission 76, p. 16.

[10]      Say No To Cashless Welfare Card/No Cashless Debit Card Hinkler Region, Submission 75, p. 5.

[11]      National Social Security Rights Network, Submission 45, p. 7.

[12]      National Social Security Rights Network, Submission 45, p. 8.

[13]      Australian Council of Social Service, Submission 60, p. 5.

[14]      Accountable Income Management Network, Submission 76, pp. 18-19.

[15]      Say No To Cashless Welfare Card/No Cashless Debit Card Hinkler Region, Submission 75, p. 4.

[16]      Accountable Income Management Network, Submission 76, p. 18.

[17]      Parliamentary Joint Committee on Human Rights, Report 6 of 2018, p. 39.

[18]      Australian Human Rights Commission, Submission 43, p. 2.

[19]      Say No To Cashless Welfare Card/No Cashless Debit Card Hinkler Region, Submission 75, p. 1.

[20]      Say No To Cashless Welfare Card/No Cashless Debit Card Hinkler Region, Submission 75, p. 2.

[21]      Say No To Cashless Welfare Card/No Cashless Debit Card Hinkler Region, Submission 75, p. 3.

[22]      Say No To Cashless Welfare Card/No Cashless Debit Card Hinkler Region, Submission 75, p. 3.

[23]      Name withheld, Submission 1, p. 1.

[24]      Name withheld, Submission 1, p. 1.

[25]      Name withheld, Submission 12, p. 1.