Michael Sukkar MP

$217.7 MILLION SPENT TO ABOLISH THE CASHLESS DEBIT CARD IN NAME ONLY

THE HON MICHAEL SUKKAR MP
Shadow Minister for Social Services
Shadow Minister for NDIS
Shadow Minister for Housing
Shadow Minister for Homelessness

THE HON PAUL FLETCHER MP
Shadow Minister for Government Services and the Digital Economy
Shadow Minister for Science and the Arts
Manager of Opposition Business

JOINT MEDIA RELEASE

15 February 2023

$217.7 MILLION SPENT TO ABOLISH THE CASHLESS DEBIT CARD IN NAME ONLY

During the Community Affairs Senate Estimates today, officials admitted that there is no technological difference between the Cashless Debit Card and the Government’s new ‘SmartCard’.

Following the abolition of the CDC program, the Government said it would deliver ‘a new enhanced Income Management solution’ through its ‘SmartCard’ – however, the same organisation ‘Indue’ is providing the service.

Labor labelled the Cashless Debit Card ‘a failed program’, yet they are shamelessly relaunching the same service to provide voluntary income management to vulnerable communities.

Another one of Labor’s flimsy excuses to abolish the CDC is now in tatters.

Since the repeal of the CDC, we have seen vulnerable communities feeling the devastation through a spike in crime, gambling, alcohol-fuelled violence, and child neglect.

Removing the compulsory nature of this income management service is not going to change these circumstances.

In the October Budget, the Government committed $217.7 million over 4 years from 2022–23 to abolish the Cashless Debit Card, but it seems the CDC is being abolished in name only and rebranded as the ‘SmartCard’.

This is not a valuable use of taxpayer money, especially during a cost of living crisis.

The poor management and the negligent nature of Labor’s decisions can be seen in the Northern Territory, where CDC participants have not been consulted with about these changes to income management and were only notified from this week.

Australians deserve a Government that is not going to treat vulnerable communities as an afterthought.

Ends