General
Cashless Debit Card program review finds decrease in alcohol and gambling, but participants report feeling ‘shame’
A review of the government’s controversial cashless welfare card has delivered mixed results, and does not provide a definitive conclusion about the program’s effectiveness.
Key points:
- The review found alcohol use had reduced in communities where the card had been introduced, but that couldn’t be attributed to the CDC alone
- It found that a majority of participants would prefer to opt out of the program, and reported feelings of “embarrassment and shame”
- Critics of the program have said it is racist and disproportionately impacts Indigenous Australians
Under the Cashless Debit Card (CDC) program, 80 per cent of an individual’s welfare payments are quarantined on a card that cannot be used to purchase alcohol or gambling products.
In December,…
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