Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Women) Share this | Hansard source

Australians expect that their taxes should be spent fairly and that the system they pay for does help get people off welfare and into work. That is why the Turnbull government is tackling the link between drug use and long-term unemployment. As has already been articulated, from 1 January 2018, 5,000 new recipients of Newstart allowance and youth allowance in three trial sites will be required to undertake random drug tests. This is a two-year trial of random drug testing and it will be a condition of receiving a welfare payment. For those who test positive, we will provide them with the assistance they need, and they will be placed on welfare quarantining for two years. What this is deliberately designed to address is to curb the devastating effects of drug addiction and ensure that people with abuse problems are getting the help they need.