00:00It was the little card that caused a big stir.
00:06From our point of view, we always think that income management and any card should be voluntary.
00:11It shouldn't be mandatory.
00:13Rolled out in 2016 and abolished by Labor six years later, the cashless debit card limited
00:19access to welfare payments, so it couldn't be spent on alcohol or gambling.
00:24The coalition now says if it's elected this year, it'll bring it back.
00:29The commitment is that we will reintroduce the card in the communities that want it.
00:35The card was used in sites in South Australia, WA, Queensland and the Northern Territory.
00:41Last year, a study from Adelaide University found its removal in some spots, including
00:46Sojourner in South Australia, had a negative impact.
00:51They want that card back.
00:52They see a direct correlation and have experienced the direct correlation between the card's
00:58removal and what's happened to them now.
01:01If it does return, some hold concerns about how it would work.
01:05When you say a community can opt in, who makes that decision?
01:11What body in a community is the all-encompassing body that represents all of the families and
01:17all of the people to say we want this in our community?
01:21In the Northern Territory, where income management is still widespread on a separate system,
01:27the government says it'd still welcome the card's return.
01:31We certainly do.
01:32We want to see a system in place that helps the children of the Northern Territory so
01:36that we can work with families to ensure that there's food on the table for kids.
01:41A different standpoint in WA.
01:43It won't surprise you to hear that I think self-determination in relation to Aboriginal
01:47communities is a fundamental principle in the way you engage with them.
01:52In a statement, Federal Labor described the Coalition's pitch as base politicking and
01:58said multiple evaluations showed the card did not work to address issues faced by many
02:03regional communities.
02:05With Anthony Albanese expected to visit at least one of the towns that used to have the
02:09cashless debit card this week, he'll have a chance to hear first-hand about whether
02:14or not they want it back.
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