Cashless Welfare Card

[moonflyte]

Could this be the end of the tragedy of alcohol fueled violence and child neglect.

A cashless welfare card aimed at stemming alcohol abuse would be rolled out across the country under a welfare reform the Turnbull government is considering taking to the election.

As regional trouble spots line up to be chosen for trials of the government’s new Healthy Welfare Card to begin next month, The Australian understands the Coalition may seek an election mandate to extend the card to welfare recipients across regional Australia if they achieve positive results.

Under the new system — proposed by mining magnate ­Andrew Forrest in his review of the welfare system in 2014 — 80 per cent of a person’s government payment would be ­quarantined to a bank card that could not be used to buy alcohol and gambling products, nor ­converted to cash.

The remaining 20 per cent could be accessible as cash.

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/national-cashless-welfare-card-plan-by-turnbull-gov...

[esayaf]

Edit my father didn't drink

[esayaf]

My argument is that the cashless card won't solve these problems not that people should be able to bash, neglect family members and smoke ice.
Okay, I'm not endorsing those activities. Do I have to write it a hundred times. The cashless card won't change human behaviour. I'm sure the activities you mentioned were happening long before cash existed, not smoking ice. But family violence and neglect and drug taking have been occurring long before anyone was on welfare

[esayaf]

In case you missed it. I don't have a family so I for one am not able to bash or neglect anyone. I do drink alcohol and will do so with or without this stinking card. I also vote but not for regressives.

[go-tazz]

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@esayaf wrote:
My argument is that the cashless card won't solve these problems not that people should be able to bash, neglect family members and smoke ice.
Okay, I'm not endorsing those activities. Do I have to write it a hundred times. The cashless card won't change human behaviour. I'm sure the activities you mentioned were happening long before cash existed, not smoking ice. But family violence and neglect and drug taking have been occurring long before anyone was on welfare

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Those activities do happen but the card is an attempt to try and limit that abuse.

There are a number of people on welfare where I live and three people are getting evicted because of the way

they carry on through alcohol and drug use,(they are the only ones that behave in that way).

So a card for them would limit their abuse.

Some of the 14 others have a drink but don't behave in that manner,(so no card needed?).

IMHO the card would be a definite benefit in some communities but it will have drawbacks and a trial would

highlight them,(so do the trial and then see what needs to be done),

One of the drawbacks will be farmers markets,car and general repairs,etc,(and they would need to be

accepted by all utility companies).

[esayaf]

Well make the card compulsory for all Australians. If it is actually about addressing these problems

[chameleon54]

esayaf, I assume your response was to me not djilukjilly,

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@esayaf wrote:
I recall saying in my second post I don't know the answer to solving these problems but the cashless card isn't it.
I was beaten by my father every day nearly and he had a job and didn't ( work. edit drink alcohol )

Welcome to the club. Many here think family violence is only commited against woman and get very upset when posters suggest males are also often victims. I,m with you on this one.
so I don't endorse violence or neglect. I don't believe my statement is an endorsement of the activities that you have mentioned. My point is that plenty of working people also engage in the activities you mentioned

True, but the money they use is their own, not money that others have given them to provide for lifes essentials. This is in essence what this whole disscussion is about.

but the government is seemingly only interested in punishing all welfare recipients as is the general public for a community wide problem by stigmatising all welfare recipients.
I'll say again I don't know the answer, it would seem no one does but this card isn't it it is just a blatant vote grab by jumping on the welfare recipient bashing band wagon.
How about you come up with an answer to solve this problem for the whole community

The people who are paid to study this with guidance from the proffesionals who administer welfare in CONSULTATION with some of the worst affected communities, believe the card is part of the answer. Personally I agree. By giving a % of the payment as cash, welfare recipients still have discretionary spending. I can see that those who use a large % of thier welfare payments to buy alcohol , drugs or cigerettes are not going to like this idea,

rather than twisting my words and making me the bad guy in this debate.
You are just attacking me now not the issue

I,m sorry if you view my dissagreement with you on important aspects of the plan as personel attacks. That was not my intention. I simply find the post you made, that taxpayers should not have any say on how the money they provide to welfare recipients is spent, quite offensive. If I,m working several hours a week to provide a basic living allowance for those who cant or chose not to work, I think its fair to expect that the money will be used for the purposes given. I dont begrudge anyone an occasional drink or a few ciggies a day if thats what floats their boat,  but I dont expect that a major proportion of taxpayers money will be spent on supporting individuals addictions.

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[moonflyte]

There is a reason why the government is doing this and its to mainly target abuse and neglect and drugs and alcohol abuse at the taxpayers expense.

If this program even benefits very few children from being bashed, killed or even God forbid given Oxycontin by drug addled parents then it's a win for the children.

Adults can look after themselves, if they choose to spend what cash they can access on whatever they like they are not being disavantaged.

Nobody has a right to expect workers to subsidise a lifestyle of drugs and grog.

[esayaf]

How is family violence and neglect or drug taking more of a problem if a welfare recipient than if a working person does it.
If a public servant does those things it's still taxpayers money that is funding it.
These are serious issues that need to be addressed across the whole of society.

[esayaf]

But none of you complain about your taxes being spent on bombs that kill innocent people in the middle east
Total hypocrisy if you ask me

[moonflyte]

What I think we are dealing with here is a disgruntled entitled mindset. I get that this poster has had a rough life, well join the club, many have had the same but that does not entitle anybody to a free ride I'm sorry to say. We are not a big population, we do not have a huge workforce to tax, there is only so much to go around.

Free hospital and medical, dental assistance, rent assistance and welfare payments and many other govt welfare is available so I think this country is doing a stand up job looking after the disadvantaged.