A new bill has been introduced to the House of Representatives to curtail the use of Cashless Debit Cards (CDCs) for older Australians.
The intention of giving welfare recipients this card was to prevent them from spending on substances which are harmful, with 80% of their welfare payments ‘quarantined’ on the card. Purchases on alcohol, gambling or cash withdrawals are not allowed. Is this reasonable
The Bill, entitled Protecting Pensions from the Cashless Debit Card was introduced on October 25 by Labor MP Julian Hill and seconded by fellow Labor member, Justine Elliot.
How does the cashless welfare card work?
According to the Department of Social Security (DSS), the objective of the CDC is to ensure that welfare payments are spent in responsible and meaningful ways.
The card has been on trial for five years and 12 months ago the Federal Government sought to end the trial period and make the card permanent. This legislation did not pass the House, so the trial is now due to expire end December 2022.
Management of the card is outsourced to a private company, Indue. A recent report in the Guardian claims that Indue is receiving $26 million for managing the program over a 2-year period. Indue was also the recipient of $2.1 million in Jobkeeper subsidies despite an increase in profit over the same period.
The Labor Party maintains that the government has plans to increase coverage of the CDC to Age Pensioners. The government denies it has any plans to extend the card to include more pensioners. There are currently only a handful of Age Pensioners on the card, some of whom volunteered, others under order from a Family Responsibilities Commission.
Does the card work?
Reports on the efficacy of the trial are mixed, however. One report claims there has been no positive impact, another was inconclusive.
What does appear to occur is that some card holders suffer difficulty when their seemingly innocuous purchases (textbooks, bras), often online, are rejected.
And there may be gaps in resolving card issues between the card issuer (Indue) and the responsible department (DSS). Directions on the DSS website point users to Indue in the first instance via a link or to a Hotline (1800 252 605).
Cardholders can also request to be taken off the program. These requests are reviewed by the department.
What do you think?
Do you believe this is a good system to help those who have addiction issues?
Or do you believe it is never okay for the government to tell you how to spend your payments?
ps Regardless of how you feel about the card it is important to ensure you’re getting all your entitlements. You can check yours on our free eligibility calculator
It is an insult that the government control how we spend our money. If people have addictions they wod find a way around it.
This is just another way for this government to take control of peoples lives while at the same time hand millions over to their mates in business.
Don’t forget. It was Labour who introduced the Bill.
Government should not play with pensioners. They have obligation to pay pension which they should fulfill.
alanmaxine22@bigpond.com
Richard,
I assume you are aware the BILL Labor is introducing is to stop the use of the Indue Card from being forced onto Aged Pensioners?
The government should have no say in how I spend my money,I am quite capable of taking care of my own finances, I hope this bill never goes through, for those that need help there are agencies available already without paying another company millions of tax payer money,I would like to know how the government can justify spending this amount.
The gov should never tell us how to spend our money.isn’t it bad enough that we have all paid our taxes from working and now the gov wants to control us as to how our money is spent might as well lock us all up in jail because. How dare the gov have such controll on us ,may be if we start from the gov and controll their wages may the gov might take a second look as to how it would feel to be controlled see how they would like it, what the gov needs to do is to give old age pensioners and other pensioners a huge pay rise to make sure that we are living comfortable,,don’t forget that when the gov gets a pay rise for them selves it’s in thousands of dollars to make sure that the gov is living comfortable but yet the pensioners rise is only $10 to $15 dollars pay rise then they will raise our prescriptions so what could does it do for the pensioners,, give us all a good raise in our pension and stop trying to controll our life’s and how we live it ,,this will lead a lot of poeple n depression and may be suicides,,bud out of our lives you are nothing but a huge insult to all of us,,,
The government has NEVER the right to tell us how to spend our money, this is a complete insult to all of us
The government doesn’t have any money this money is from taxpayers and it definitely should be rigorously managed
This is reprehensible! No govt should be able to do this , pensioner s are not “ welfare ! .. we are meant to be a democratic society not a dictatorship!
I agree Gov. forgets, Pension is workers money paid into a Trust Fund over many years, and not WELFARE ! thus it is the peoples money not the Gov. to Dole out, as it sees fit, and when one sees the costs associated with the indue card, the Question surely arises, what is the reason ? ( punishment? or Control )?
I don’t see any reason or need for myself or my wife to have this card forced upon us.
Neither of us has any addictions.
I thought Morrison is now promoting (for the election) a policy of less government interference in people’s lives?
LNP deception and money for mates going on with this card.
A big NO from me.
Yes a total insult. You PAY YOUR TAXES . The gov. Gratefully receive them and if you have been smart and gutsy enough to work hard for your God given future you are totally entitled to use it as you pls. One wouldn’t be wasting g it, only living as you have saved so diligently for. How dare this gov. Do this. May as well live under communistic rule. It’s time the gov. Managed their affairs correctly as we did.
I think we should be insulted like Politicians are. We should be payed the same as them when they are sacked (loose an election), regardless of age, for ever more, whether they get another job or not. And they say that pensioners have their snouts in the trough. We can’t even see the trough for politicians.
Let’s get one thing quite clear, it is not YOUR money. It’s tax payers money that they are kindly gifting to Centrelink customers. The cashless welfare card is extremely important in many situations as at the very least, children and women are clothed and fed
It is because of handful of people who abuse the centrelink benefit, the government shouldn’t be doing this. Most pentioners have paid tax throughout their worktheir working life which could be couple of hundreds of thousand dollars. Pensioners deserve to be treated respectfully and be allowed to enjoy their well deserved retirement. In other countries like NZ, pensioners are paid their entitlement regardless of how much asset they have. Hope AUS will look at other countries and learn better.
It is not taxpayers money you paid for it out of your taxes when you were working. If you look at the history of the pension you will see originally it was an extra tax that was introduced for that purpose. But overtime it has been absorbed into the general tax systm
In reply to Lindsay, Myself and my wife paid tax all our working lives, and still pay tax indirectly. You are right its taxpayers money meaning anyone who has paid and still pays tax so I agree we own the money and are protected in our old age by the pension as small as it is. To have a Government tell me how I should spend my pension when they will get 12 times what I get when they finish their term and they will not be on a card is discrimination. So if you believe the card is a good thing then get your politicians to agree to go on it. The answer you will get from them is no way, so why discriminate or is that what you support
We have all paid our taxes and we should therefore maintain control of our finances and what we choose to spend it on. Certainly if a select number have issues with spending money on addictions then surely the government ( which ever government party it is!)would do better to direct funds to assisting these peoples issues then waste money on trialing a system that will always have a way around it!
This idea, card, is an insult to all aged pensioners! I cannot believe that the government’s of this country would even think of such a thing!! What is happening to our freedom if this rubbish is introduced!!
The government doesn’t have any money this money is from taxpayers and it definitely should be rigorously managed
Technically it’s government money they are giving you, Don’t they have some say in what you do with it. How much was paid in taxes by people who spent half their life on the dole. Tere are heaps of vacancies now and no one wants to work.
Just another scare campaign by Labour.
The liberal government has no intention of introducing a cash less pension card
This is just another lie from the labor government
Just like Mediscare before the last election
Please don’t try and frighten our elderly with more labor lies
The Indue card should only be issued to people proved to be incapable of managing their money.
The costs of managing this card is corruption at its worse.
Placing people on this card is stigmatising our most vulnerable, shame on our government for this demoralising card
Totally agree with Anne. People who have lived on welfare handouts forever scamming the system, and I know one big strong tall man who has, THESE PEOPLE COULD DO with a card.
And why is I due getting this job costing millions to execute. Is THIS ANOTHER GOV. MATES HAND SHAKE ? SHELL BE RIGHT MATE. WE WILL LOOK AFTER YOU AND YOUR COPIOUS NUMBERS OF STAFF TO PAY. ITS B SHIT. BEI G DO E ALL OVER THIS CORRUPT COUNTRY.
Yes a total insult. You PAY YOUR TAXES . The gov. Gratefully receive them and if you have been smart and gutsy enough to work hard for your God given future you are totally entitled to use it as you pls. One wouldn’t be wasting g it, only living as you have saved so diligently for. How dare this gov. Do this. May as well live under communistic rule. It’s time the gov. Managed their affairs correctly as we did.
The card limits how you spend your money. Deductions for monthly or yearly insurance payments are not allowed, for example. This includes health insurance, house and contents insurance, car insurance, etc. by direct debit. I personally gave a car loan. I doubt that would be allowed out of the 80% so what with all of that, my 20% that goes into my normal bank account is well BBC and truly used up. Also, if I don’t use all the money going into the CDC each g Fortnight, who gets the interest on the balance?. I bet it isn’t me!
Talk about white collar welfare! At $10,000 per card per year in administration fees and the number of people involved – not just age pensioners but those on Jobseeker, the disability pension, veterans affairs pensions, family child benefits, etc. I wish I had come up with the idea!
The old story.
The responsible majority paying for the minority with problems.
The Nanny State?
Love the cigarette example!
Always a way around it.
Give the pensioners the money wasted on the administration
Yes a total insult. You PAY YOUR TAXES . The gov. Gratefully receive them and if you have been smart and gutsy enough to work hard for your God given future you are totally entitled to use it as you pls. One wouldn’t be wasting g it, only living as you have saved so diligently for. How dare this gov. Do this. May as well live under communistic rule. It’s time the gov. Managed their affairs correctly as we did.
Had to fuel up at 11.30pm one night last year in a small town and my fuel was paid for by a CDC card holder for whom I then purchased 2 packs of cigarettes. There were lots of people hanging around waiting for an opportunity to do the same thing. Not exactly how I would want to spend my retirement years thanks.
I don’t believe that government/indue should be able to tell already strapped financially pensioners HOW they spend their pension. Many do not drink/gamble/take illicit drugs but do enjoy the rear lunch with friends and shopping at markets to save money. I pay fees to my village, pay all my bills by direct payment. Will these be held back? This bill if passed will deny any small pleasures we struggle to have as we are already below the poverty line
Essentially all the DSS is trying to do is protect vulnerable people from themselves, at the end of the day someone has to do it, and more often than not it is left to Governments & DSS. As i have seen to many cases of Elder abuse where family is stealing other family members hard earned savings.
If this is extended to all pensioners, will the administrator Indue receive $10k per card. If so that’s a lot of money, with a portion being donated back to the LNP. It’s been done already and this government will stop at nothing to ensure it stays in power to cover up its corruption and ineptitude, with a full war chest.
No Government has the right to control how and what anybody does with their payments, think they may get a bit edgy if someone looked into their financials.
I agree with the restrictions. Apart from pensioners receiving tax payer funding many pensioners have to be protected from their own excesses. With the right to receive pensions funded by tax payers come the responsibility not to spend that money on addictive substances such as alcohol and cigarettes.
Phil Harris that’s an insult. We paid decades of taxes to fund our pensions..I worked for 50 years..I don’t drink, smoke, gamble or take drugs..except my medications if you can include them..as that’s the closest I’ve ever been to drugs. I will pack up and move out of the country should they include age pensioners. Maybe politicians should be made to do this also..that will stop it.
If we all had the same eligibility and generous benefits of superannuation that politicians are afforded once they retire then we would not even be discussing this
Welfare money is taxpayers money, and those that cannot handle money or got gambling /drinking problems need not complain for the control the government enacts,.
Excuse me! I started work when I was 15 and stayed employed until over the age of 65. I think I am entitled to a pension, I WAS a taxpayer, my super wasn’t sufficient and it did not become compulsory until 1992 bearing in mind I started work in 1961. It’s not the taxpayers money it’s the peoples money. Will the politicians get the same payment? I think not and they won’t be told how to spend it!
Agree here. Its our money not theirs.
We were told to work hard & pay taxes
& in return we’d receive a liveable income
from the fund the gov’t run. Superannuation
is a recent addition & those participating will
have time to plan.
The pension is like a life insurance fund, you
pay in & collect when it’s due.
Speaking of due, ever seen a policy that can
move to a later date depending on birth date.
Sheens.. well said. I too worked 50+ years paying taxes and don’t drink, smoke or gamble so why should I pay for some others addictions. Yes our super didn’t come in til the last couple of decades before retirement so we didn’t have the chance to build up enough to live on. Why should we be the bunnies..do it to the pollies.
This country and the government has finally lost the plot .
I wonder how wage earners would feel if they were put under the same
system and told by the government how they could spend their money
There are always people who are not able to manage their money
there are things in place to deal with those problems. Is it the case
again in Australia the for the actions of a few we all suffer.
The same thing happened with prescription drugs especially for pain killers
again the actions of a few affect the many. The government again dictates what we can take
The makers of Panadol are as happy as a pig in mud making a fortune.
We are heading for a dictatorship in this country were governments make random decisions under the guise of what’s in the interest of its people.
It is no ones business as to how spend my money that I believe is everyone’s right
living in a democracy which I hope still applies in Australia.
Your right about a dictatorship. we’re seeing this now with
mandatory vaccinations, the next is the cashless society in
2022 (digital Wallet). then the climate emergency where
they’ll use the Emergency powers legislation to restrict your
movement. The digital wallet will mean they can take directly
from you social credit score to pay fines for non compliance.
Please consider your next election vote.
I’m looking to minor parties that uphold our constitution.
NO- pensioners have not been reported in being of risk of inappropriate spending. This is an insult to our mentality and freedom
After working 50 years and retiring at 69 and 76 respectively my husband and I find the idea of an indue card the last straw by this government. We have raised six children with professional careers and had to work and budget carefully to educate them. Why would we need anyone to tell us how to manage our finances
This is disgraceful why this government doesn’t spend the $26million dollars to help the retiring people.
This is another way to control people.
I, sure as hell, never got an opportunity to personally tell the Government what to spend my tax money on for 50 years.
Why should the Government now dictate where I spend my money now.
And seeing as I want to live as long as I can, I am not going to abuse my body with drugs and alcohol, although that would shorten the time the Government has to pay me a pension.
They may like that idea!
So much for Morrisons latest rant about the Government not interfering with the people.
Sounds like a political rort from the Governments mates at Indue.
No Government should have this right and I will be monitoring the policies of the Parties in the upcoming election very carefully.
Well I hope you don’t vote for any of the major parties because they are all on the same team. The other side is Paid Opposition. The Governments are all Illegitimate, are all Corporations with and ABN number. They sold us decades ago and removed our Seal. All Laws are illegitimate that they have made under the name of governing us. If you you are unfamiliar with that, you should look up Rod Culleton and The Great Australia Party website where he will tell you all about it and why he launched a Court Case in the UK to get us out of under a Corporation. This country is in a hell of a mess called a Pandemic which is a lie orchestrated by the criminal Cabal Organisation called our Government. Not Conspiracy Theories but truth and and Facts. We haven’t had a legitimate election for decades.
G L Swadling.. well said ? I agree 110%
I am not a ‘welfare recipient’. I am an Aged Pensioner who paid 6%+ of my income tax for my entire working life into what was supposed to be a Federal Government Aged Pension fund stream not general Government revenue to be wasted on subsidising fossil fuel barons (John Howard apparently siphoned our money off into consolidated revenue while PM to pretend he was running the budget at a ‘surplus’). I have already contributed during my working life to my Aged Pension and will not be reduced to being a beggar on a private profit-making company controlled ‘welfare’ card by this Government who have proven they are incompetent at managing (our) finances with their $40 billion over payment to major corporations, companies and CEO bonuses through the Jobkeeper rorts. If I had more time, I would tell you how I really feel!
The sooner people realise that our Governments are Illegitimate. They have an ABN for the Corporations they call a Government on every level of Federal, State and Local. We don’t have Politicians, we have criminals masquerading as Politicians. Do people honestly think that these people have any intention working for people that pay their wages, I don’t think so. All this is orchestrated to put everyone under the UN, WHO, One World Order to control you and tell you what you can do and cant do while they Rape our Land of Minerals, Steal our Taxes to give to their Filthy Criminal Cabal Organisations. These people have no intention on looking after someone that has worked a lifetime for this country. These Government Organisations Trade us on the Stock Exchange as a Commodity. We don’t have violent protestors in the streets, we have people in the streets peacefully protesting for your Freedoms and your God Given Alienable Rights. The Fake Government is screwing you over.
Wake up everyone and Stand Up For Your Country and Take Your Country Back.
Little more than wage theft. The government agencies have too much involvement in our lives as it is. What a waste of taxpayer money. It just goes on and on. It has to stop. Perhaps more independents in parliament may help.
The pension is not welfare……..it’s a miserable amount as it is……however I have paid for it
It is NEVER OK to have one’s independence taken from them this is NOT OK. If your intention is to reduce their addiction issues you need to work on their addictions themselves through wholistic Counselling and therapy NOT DOMINENCE this will only cement further criminalise further violent ways to achieve ability for their addiction or addictions to be satisfied.
I think that we all forget that the government is employed by the people of Australia and if they don’t do their job They should be sacked at the ballot box.
Also I believe that if a person has payed taxes all his life he or she should be untitled to the aged pension regardless of how much that person has saved or scrapped together during their working career. Maybe there should be a two tier pension one for the people that worked all their lives and one for people that have fed of the welfare all their lives.
It seems that the government – all parties – have forgotten that they are Public Servants and are paid as such. This means that they are servants of the public, using public money which the public have contributed to. Pensioners who have worked all of their lives have made contributions to ensure they have a pension in their older years.
It is abhorrent for politicians to think for one second that they can tell a person how to spend their own money. As for a private company administering the card – being paid by public money – unbelievable! What do public servants actually do? I absolutely object to the proposal and suggest the trial stops before we bleed more money into a private company’s coffers.
What a. Insult to pensioners this should be scrapped. It’s a disgrace wasting all this money it should be given to the pensioners as an increase in their pension not wasted on stupid surveys and trials. We don’t gamble or smoke why should we be penalised
This is just another beat up by Labour trying to scare people.
That you don’t even know how to spell “Labor” shows that you are not credible.
This is a dictatorships wet dream.
Anyone who agrees with the CDC may as well just give up your rights completely.
Our taxes is paying for this CDC scheme in which is taking our rights away from us.
Or do you want our tax money paying to remove more of our rights away?.
Pensioners either Aged or Disabled or Both deserve better than this than to be treated less than human.
If you think compulsory income management is OK for pensioners then you are a moron.
I agree.
I am finding it interesting how many people here are saying that they are shocked or surprised that governments would do this to people – especially pensioners. Why are you shocked?
Governments that are major political party driven have a long and very obvious history of doing anything at all to the public – especially the most vulnerable, if it will bring more power over the people to the governments.
The majority public continue to vote the major political parties into government incumbency. So – why the surprise?
It is what they do.
Most voted them in because so many do feel that punishing those who are less well off than themselves is well deserved.
If what the majority want is for everyone to be treated fairly and justly, DO NOT ever vote a major political party into office – place them last on your ballot sheet.
Also, DO put yourselves in the shoes of the person that you may be presently thinking requires some ‘tough love’ or ‘encouragement’ to ‘be more responsible’ and ask yourself if you yourself have ever been helped to ‘behave better’ by having someone remove your rights to your agency or being punished financially.