E&OE TRANSCRIPT
Topics: Cashless debit card repeal, support services to communities
SABRA LANE, HOST: Amanda Rishworth from October, people who are on the cashless debit card can leave it. How many of the 17,300 recipients do you think will want to stay on the card?
AMANDA RISHWORTH, MINISTER FOR SOCIAL SERVICES: We're not sure how many people will want to stay on the card, but we think it's very important. There's an option for people to do so. In my consultations within communities, there are mixed views. Some people said that they would stay on it if it was voluntary. Others have made it very clear that they won't stay on any sort of income management because it is not working for their lives.
SABRA LANE: People in the Northern Territory and Cape York programs who are on a similar scheme won't have a choice – they’ll be transferred to the new enhanced card. Is that fair?
AMANDA RISHWORTH: When it comes to Cape York, that is a different model. It is not like the other sites in which anyone on a working age government payment was automatically put on the card. Whether you touched a drop of alcohol or not. In Cape York, it is a model where individuals are referred as an option with elders as well as a number of other interventions as part of the Family Responsibility Commission. So that is a very self-determined process. It certainly doesn't involve everyone across the community being put on to income management but as an option for elders in the community to work with those that they are putting (on income management).
SABRA LANE: In the Northern Territory something like 23,000 - mainly First Nations people are still on this card. Is that fair for them?
AMANDA RISHWORTH: What's been commonly known as the BasicsCard predates the cashless debit card. We have said that we in the long term want to see income management voluntary, but we do need to consult with communities when it comes to income management and we'll do so. Our first priority of course is abolishing the cashless debit card. But over time, we will work with communities in the Northern Territory about what that transition looks like.
SABRA LANE: Under this new enhanced card 50 per cent of income not 80 per cent will be quarantined. People will have more places to use it and can use things like BPAY. You'll also consult with communities about what income management looks like beyond July next year. What do you need to consult about?
AMANDA RISHWORTH: Some people have told me that while they liked the new enhanced technology, they would like to have a pin on that card so that other family members can't use it. For others there are specific products that they want blocked - now these are these are technological questions as well as we need to see if communities want those sorts of things. So they are some of the issues that we're exploring. But in addition, we also want to talk about what community volunteerism looks like. Communities in some places, particularly in remote areas, have indicated to us that they are interested in exploring what a community based model might look like in terms of income management. So they are some of the issues and questions that we'll be exploring with communities.
SABRA LANE: Over the weekend the government announced that you were introducing $67 million for additional supports and communities that have the card - more drug and alcohol services. Was that done to secure votes in the Senate?
AMANDA RISHWORTH: No, it was about delivering services that communities were saying that they needed and that they wanted and that would actually address the underlying problems. What communities have told me and certainly what the evidence backs up is that the cashless debit card despite what the Opposition was saying was no silver bullet when it comes to complex issues in communities. So we want to actually support communities in things that work. So whether that is drug and alcohol or other programs, it's critically important that we deliver.
SABRA LANE: If that was the case, why wasn't this introduced when the Bill was introduced into the lower house full stop?
AMANDA RISHWORTH: The Bill was introduced and the services and the announcement that we've made to have been through careful work of me consulting with communities. Between myself and the Assistant Minister, we visited all communities and heard about what important services are needed on the ground. It's more than just drug and alcohol services. We've been speaking with communities about a local jobs programs and for example a community bus that is desperately needed in communities where there wasn't money in the budget after July next year. So this is the work that I've been doing is working with communities about what are the services and supports they need and how we deliver them.
SABRA LANE: The $17 million that's been set aside for community employment initiatives, will it lead to meaningful work for people?
AMANDA RISHWORTH: Our intention is to co-design that with communities. We already have a number of community leaders with different proposals of what they believe will generate work and income and economic development in rural and regional areas. So we will be working with communities about what they believe will actually generate work and employment.
SABRA LANE: Minister, thanks for talking to AM.
AMANDA RISHWORTH: Thank you.