Jane Hume (Victoria, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for the Public Service) Share this | Hansard source

I rise to speak on the Social Security (Administration) Amendment (Repeal of Cashless Debit Card and Other Measures) Bill 2022. It's terribly disappointing that I'm rising to speak on this bill which would abolish the cashless welfare arrangements under the cashless debit card program because the cashless debit card program is such an important piece of technology. It was implemented by the former government specifically to assist vulnerable Australians and the communities in which they live. It was an innovative approach and it built on income management programs that the former Labor government had operated. Most importantly, these programs delivered change—real change, meaningful change—for communities, and I know that others around the chamber have said that over and over again today.

More importantly, I worry that the government's motives for this are dismissing the fact that, when faced with difficult challenges—