MOREE has been flagged as a possible trial site for a controversial cashless welfare card, designed to prevent payments being spent on alcohol and gambling.
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It’s been reported Moree, Kununurra in Western Australia and Ceduna in South Australia, have been selected by the federal government as potential trial sites for the Healthy Welfare card.
The card was one of the recommendations of mining billionaire Andrew Forrest in the review he conducted for the government on Indigenous employment last year.
But federal member for Parkes Mark Coulton was quick to hose down the speculation this week, telling The Leader a possible trial of the card in Moree was “a long way off being finalised”.
He confirmed consultations were currently taking place around the issue and he did not want to pre-empt any decision, nor did he want to cause unrest in the Moree community until it had been fully consulted on the proposal.
Parliamentary secretary to the prime minister, Alan Tudge, has been spearheading the policy and said in March he was keen to have trials in place by the end of the year.
He confirmed earlier this year the government was talking to communities where there were problems with “welfare-fuelled alcohol and drug abuse” and community leaders were prepared to back a trial.
“The potential upside could be absolutely life changing in terms of community safety for women and children,” Mr Tudge said.
He was reported as saying last week that no decision had been made as yet.
Moree Shire Plains mayor Katrina Humphries said she wasn’t in a position to comment on the proposal at this stage.
Under the government’s proposal, the Healthy Welfare card would operate like a debit card, but could not be used at alcohol outlets or gambling establishments.
Welfare payments wouldn’t be completely cashless though, to allow for the likes of money for school excursions or public transport.
