How does the cashless welfare card work?

The Cashless Welfare Card, also known as the Indue Card, Healthy Welfare Card or Cashless Debit Card, is a debit card, trialled by the Australian Government, which quarantines income for people on certain income support payments by not allowing the owner to purchase alcohol, gamble or withdraw cash.

Why is the cashless debit card bad?

The cashless debit card also carries a high risk of unintended and expensive consequences across government and the community, including social exclusion and stigmatisation, increased financial hardship, and the erosion of individual autonomy and dignity.

Who runs the cashless welfare card?

Indue
“Indue makes tens of millions of dollars running the cashless debit card for the Morrison government,” he said. “Now it turns out they got $2m in jobkeeper, despite increasing their revenues during the pandemic.”

Is the cashless debit card compulsory?

The Cashless Debit Card (CDC) scheme is a form of compulsory income management, developed out of a suite of top-down policy recommendations submitted to Prime Minister Tony Abbott by mining billionaire, Andrew Forrest, as part of his 2014 review of Indigenous jobs and training.

Can you buy smokes with cashless card?

People on the cashless debit card (CDC) are still able to gamble and buy alcohol, drugs, cigarettes and pornography because a potential loophole in the system allows them to use credit cards without detection while they are on income management.

How many people can be on a Cashless Debit Card?

As at 30 April 2021, 20,789 participants have been placed on the Cashless Debit Card since the program commenced in 2016. As at 30 April 2021, there were 5,963 individuals who resided outside of their original program region. Total expenditure for the CDC in 2019-20 was AU$29.4 million.

When was the Cashless Debit Card introduced?

2014
The Cashless Debit Card (CDC) is a form of compulsory income management, developed by the Abbott government in 2014, that disproportionatly targets First Nations communities.

Is the basics card compulsory?

The BasicsCard Not everyone on income management needs to use a BasicsCard. For example, a person who has 50 per cent of their income support payment managed may spend all of this on rent and utilities and rely on their non-income managed funds for food, clothing and other expenses.

Does Aldi accept basic cards?

A common complaint from cardholders in some income management trial sites is that many retailers and service providers do not accept the BasicsCard. For example, Aldi, Bunnings, Officeworks and some government agencies.

When was the cashless debit card introduced?

Why was the basics card introduced?

The BasicsCard was introduced to support the Government’s income management initiatives. The BasicsCard is a PIN protected magnetic stripe card that allows income support recipients to spend their payments at approved businesses. The card works on the EFTPOS system.

How do you become exempt from income management?

If you’re exempt, Income Management stops for 12 months unless your circumstances change….You can be exempt if you either:

1. are a full time student or apprentice.
2. had less than 25\% of your basic rate of payment for at least 4 of the last 6 fortnights.
3. get Special Benefit and are 16 or older.