Social Security (Administration) Amendment (Repeal of Cashless Debit Card and Other Measures) Bill 2022  

Our submission to the Inquiry into the Social Security (Administration) Amendment (Repeal of and Other Measures) Bill 2022. 

The St Vincent de Paul Society National Council of Australia opposes the cashless debit card, citing its lack of proven long-term effectiveness, unintended consequences, flawed exit processes, adverse impacts on children living in poverty and erosion of human rights.

The card’s administrative costs are also prohibitive, with the Parliamentary Budget Office estimating that scrapping the card would save $286.5M over four years. We consider these savings should be directed to support services in trial sites.

We note the insufficient evidence from past evaluations, and the negative impact of income management policies on communities and urges evidence-based and targeted approaches in specific circumstances. The Society aligns with other organisations in advocating for community-controlled solutions.