Say No to Cashless Cards February Campaign 2018 part 1

Wednesday, 7 February 2018 - 2:01pm
Cashless Welfare Cards Let's Flood February interview Owen Bennet President AUWU

In the next (Feb 2018) sitting of federal parliament is a new legislative bill on cashless welfare cards that proposes the following changes: the bill will remove section 124 pf of Social Security Administration Act, in order to:

-       remove limits on number of cashless card locations

-       remove limits on numbers of potential welfare recipients to be placed on cashless cards

-       and to wipe any end date to card trials- therefore making the cashless welfare cards into a permanent measure.

 

Over the Wall speaks to Australian Unemployed Workers Union President, Owen Bennet about:

-       Describing the current campaigns to oppose the cashless card.

-       How do cashless cards remove flexibility from people to manage their income and also unexpected expenses and travel?

-       The Labor government said it would oppose cashless cards in electorates where community didn't support the trials? Did this promise occur? Or were the consultation processes flawed? 

-       AOD (ALCOHOL OTHER DRUG) funding of services has increased in cashless card trial electorates. Could this be a tactical funding measure to ensure the trial areas have better AOD service outcomes compared to areas with no cashless cards where services aren't being funded sufficiently? 

-       Why not increase AOD funding in non trial areas as well seems the obvious question to also ask our politicians? What do you think?

-       80 percent of people's welfare payments are placed onto a cashless card that can only be used at certain retailers and banning alcohol purchases- how can people show at local markets op shops and pay rent as  cash? 

-       There have been statistical reports showing increase in crime in areas of the cashless card- can this be a direct result of a drastic alteration to 80 percent of their income going onto the card? 

-       Is there an agenda to make cashless cards universal?

 

Website campaign details

 

https://greens.org.au/cashless

 

http://unemployedworkersunion.com/

 

https://www.facebook.com/unemployedworkersunion/

 

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1923626961258263/

 

https://www.facebook.com/notowelfarecard/

 

 

Over The Wall
Thursday
Informing people of changes within government services that impact upon the social safety net, and how to better deal with bureaucracy and how to protect your rights. Over the Wall offers some simple tools to fight back and defend yourself against a system that penalises people already disadvantaged by poverty and significant health conditions.

Presenter

Peter Davis and Duncan Graham

Topic