Politics The LNP Welfare Card: Corruption disguised as philanthropy!

Apr 24, 2013
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The Liberal National Party (‘LNP’) Welfare Card programme is really a LNP rort for the benefit of the Liberal and National Parties and their members, donors and supporters. Indue Pty Ltd, the corporation awarded the contract to manage the Welfare Card programme and to operate its underlying systems, is a corporation owned by Liberal and National Party members and that donates to various Liberal and National Party branches around Australia. The former chairman of Indue is none other than former LNP MP Larry Anthony who is the son of former Liberal Country Party Deputy Prime Minister Doug Anthony. Anthony now holds his shares in Indue in his corporate family trust managed by Illalangi Pty Ltd. Other companies now owned by Larry Anthony, or by the corporate trustee of his family trust, Illalangi Pty Ltd, work under ‘sub’ contracts for Indue itself and make their profits from dealings with Indue in the course of Indue performing its contracts with the LNP Government. These corporations are SAS Consulting Group Pty Ltd – a political lobbying group that counts Indue as a client – and Unidap Solutions Pty Ltd – a digital IT services corporation that provides Indue, as well as the current LNP Government directly, with various IT services. Larry Anthony is also current president of the National Party of Australia, that is, the ‘N’ in ‘LNP’.

https://theaimn.com/lnp-welfare-card-true-facts-exposed-corruption-disguised-philanthropy/
 
Apr 24, 2013
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Senate Community Affairs Committee
ANSWERS TO ESTIMATES QUESTIONS ON NOTICE SOCIAL SERVICES PORTFOLIO

2016-2017 Additional Estimates Hearings
Outcome Number: 2.1 Families and Communities

Question No: SQ17-000141

Topic: Cashless Debit Card
Hansard page: 123

Senator Rachel Siewert asked:

Could you please provide the names of the community leaders from both trial sites involved
in discussions over the continuation or cessation of the current trial?

Answer:

In Ceduna the government consulted with the Far West Coast Cashless Debit Card Working
Group, which comprises the local leaders who have worked with government to implement
the Cashless Debit Card in the Ceduna region Cashless Debit Card location.

In the East Kimberley Cashless Debit Card location, discussions were held with the
corresponding groups which have worked with government to implement the programme: in
Kununurra, discussions were held with the Kununurra-based members of the Empowered
Communities East Kimberley Leadership Group; and in Wyndham, with the Wyndham
Advisory Panel.

Following the discussion at Estimates, the department approached some of the members of
the above groups to ask whether they agreed to their names being provided in this response.
Some of them requested their names not be provided at this stage.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-04-...-supporters-of-cashless-welfare-cards/8435782
 
Jun 6, 2016
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So these cards are now back in debate, the government wants to trial them in certain low socio economic areas.

The opposition and in fact some of the government pollies are making the debate about and I'll paraphrase "it doesn't work, it's proven in overseas areas it doesn't get people off drugs" or "discriminating against the poor doesn't work, it doesn't get them off drugs and / or alcohol / tobacco by discriminating"

Some points:
  • People like Linda Burney are completely missing the point, the intent of the policy is not (or should not be) to get people off addictive substances. The intent or at least it should be is to stop people spending tax payers money on what they can't afford anyway.
  • By ensuring welfare recipients are spending the money on expenses necessary to survive, that will go a long way to getting those recipients back into employment.
  • Once you are back on your feet and if still so desire you can spend the money that comes out of your pocket however you want, knock yourself out. Until then if you're spending my money I have no problem the government ensuring you use it for necessities. You should not be entitled to spend the taxpayers money you get on luxuries.
 
From the articles I read, it does work with other initiatives such as employment, support services etc

To say it doesn’t work by itself it foolish......because it’s not supposed to.


It has also resulted in increased youth employment in areas. That has to be a good thing.


Lastly, I wonder how many are still against work for the doll, given employment and participation has contributed in less drug abuse.
 
Drug test franking credits recipients, that's just more free money off the government.

Anything to curb drug abuse and protecting the vulnerable.....the kids of those relying upon drug fkd parents to support them rather than their vices seems to rub you up the wrong way.

Why is that?

Should we leave druggies and their kids fail and then blame the government for doing nothing?

Is alcohol foetal syndrome and other preventable issues acceptable?
 
Just don't test positive to drugs if you want the dole, otherwise the government will treat you like an black fella.
They wouldn't want to drug test the legal fraternity in this country, just quietly
 

DaRick

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My understanding of this whole scheme is that:

1) It costs around $10,000 per Newstart recipient.

2) The card is provided by a private company.

3) The government is subsidising this company for providing the card.

If I'm anywhere near correct, then this is corporate welfare, and Australians ought to oppose that.

If cashless debit cards actually work to manage dysfunctional behaviour from welfare recipients, which at best is an unproven proposition overall (maybe having a positive effect in certain areas with certain characteristics), then the government should not be paying a private company for the provision of said card.
 
My understanding of this whole scheme is that:

1) It costs around $10,000 per Newstart recipient.

2) The card is provided by a private company.

3) The government is subsidising this company for providing the card.

If I'm anywhere near correct, then this is corporate welfare, and Australians ought to oppose that.

If cashless debit cards actually work to manage dysfunctional behaviour from welfare recipients, which at best is an unproven proposition overall (maybe having a positive effect in certain areas with certain characteristics), then the government should not be paying a private company for the provision of said card.
Company is also run by Larry Anthony, it's a con.
 
So these cards are now back in debate, the government wants to trial them in certain labor-held seats

EFA


On the upside , the economy will surge with all the extra employment coles and woolies will produce hiring extra security :thumbsu:
 
Jul 13, 2015
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Just don't test positive to drugs if you want the dole, otherwise the government will treat you like an black fella.

Pay money in excess of the Dole with far fewer restrictions, and provide free legal services in excess of what non black fellas get ?

Was racism your first choice there or did you start with sexism or homophobia and switch to racism?

Because the cupboard seems quite bare, so there wouldnt have been much else on the cards.
 
Jun 6, 2016
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My understanding of this whole scheme is that:

1) It costs around $10,000 per Newstart recipient.

2) The card is provided by a private company.

3) The government is subsidising this company for providing the card.

If I'm anywhere near correct, then this is corporate welfare, and Australians ought to oppose that.

If cashless debit cards actually work to manage dysfunctional behaviour from welfare recipients, which at best is an unproven proposition overall (maybe having a positive effect in certain areas with certain characteristics), then the government should not be paying a private company for the provision of said card.

In ANY case I don't want welfare recipients using money that comes out of my pocket used for indulgent / luxury expense. Welfare recipients SHOULD be using funds that initially come from the taxpayer for survival items like food and energy expenses.
 
Jun 6, 2016
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Company is also run by Larry Anthony, it's a con.

Who gives a flying who Larry Anthony is or the fact that the card is manufactured / created by a corporate company?

I give a flying knowing that the funds that come out of my pocket are being used for essentials to exist while employment is being seeked rather spending them on non essential items to bend the mind while those kids of those recipients are going hungry.
 
In ANY case I don't want welfare recipients using money that comes out of my pocket used for indulgent / luxury expense. Welfare recipients SHOULD be using funds that initially come from the taxpayer for survival items like food and energy expenses.
lol
 

Admiral Byng

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My understanding of this whole scheme is that:

1) It costs around $10,000 per Newstart recipient.

How can this possibly be allowed? This would represent about 2 months pay for a person on ordinary clerical wages. It can't possibly take 2 months to process and set up each claim. It seems like a massive rot.

Then the drug tests are supposedly going to cost about 2 grand each.

... just so we can be sure that a dole recipient is not miss-spending their $550.

makes no sense.
 

DaRick

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How can this possibly be allowed? This would represent about 2 months pay for a person on ordinary clerical wages. It can't possibly take 2 months to process and set up each claim. It seems like a massive rot.

Then the drug tests are supposedly going to cost about 2 grand each.

... just so we can be sure that a dole recipient is not miss-spending their $550.

makes no sense.

It's possible that the figures I've cited are entirely wrong TBF.

That said, if the government was serious about reducing the national debt, they wouldn't even be considering rolling out seemingly expensive programs of questionable effectiveness over increasingly large areas.

In ANY case I don't want welfare recipients using money that comes out of my pocket used for indulgent / luxury expense. Welfare recipients SHOULD be using funds that initially come from the taxpayer for survival items like food and energy expenses.

I agree with that in principle - although in practice I doubt that Newstart recipients who are reckless enough to do this will act responsibly in employment, either. I certainly would be wary of hiring any employee who was reckless enough to blow their money on luxuries rather than essentials when on welfare, especially if they have dependants. It's a sign of a short-sighted, irresponsible person.

That being said, making welfare recipients use a debit card to make most of their purchases might well make it harder, not easier, for responsible recipients to live on Newstart in rural/regional areas because I've been told that rural/regional folk tend to use farmers markets, rather than supermarkets, to buy fruits/vegetables because they're cheaper. I doubt that farmers markets are able to accept debit cards - plus not being able to sell their produce would surely hurt the farmers themselves.

I've heard some anecdotal evidence that cashless debit cards genuinely do reduce alcohol/tobacco abuse in problem communities, but there's no hard evidence. I've also heard anecdotal evidence that people have taken to petty crime - IOW, stealing things and selling them for cash, or even stealing alcohol - to fuel their addictions.
 

Northalives

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Scott Wilson, the SA Aboriginal Drug and Alcohol Council CEO down Ceduna way, reckons that the Government is using disingenuous methodology to say that the cashless welfare card system is working. He reckons that "We haven't seen a decrease whatsoever in people coming," to the Stepping Stones Drug and Alcohol Day Centre.

How in heaven's name such a scheme started and how there was no outrage at the suggestion that such a scheme be put in place is astonishing.

This scheme is grotesque and degrading and something that is straight out of the late 19th, early 20th century barbarism used to control the movements and lives of indigenous peoples. It was in an attempt to dehumanise the indigenous population and here were are, in the 21st century and the same monstrous programs are now being reintroduced to victimise and humiliate human beings who, for whatever reasons, are unemployed.

This is no more than dog whistling and has no place in Australia.
 

Northalives

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In ANY case I don't want welfare recipients using money that comes out of my pocket used for indulgent / luxury expense. Welfare recipients SHOULD be using funds that initially come from the taxpayer for survival items like food and energy expenses.
Are you as upset about the 7% of the extremely well off in this country who get a cash hand out, a present, a gift of $6 billion per year from the tax payer; YOUR money, out of YOUR pocket even thought these rich mongrels who laze away their days on their luxury yachts pay not one brass razoo in tax? Hey? Is that OK with you?

Tampons were exempted from the GST on the 1st of January this year after an 18 year campaign and it was only because the Coalition were dragged screaming and kicking to this position after Morrison had described Labor’s announcement of abolishing the GST on tampons as “cynical exercises” and the former prime minister, Tony Abbott, saying on 2GB that “Once you start having these sorts of exemptions – where does it end?”.

Up until January this year, tampons were considered a luxury. Is this the type of luxury you're talking about? How about someone buying a beer at the pub? Is that a luxury that should only be afforded to those who don't receive Newstart and what happens when these people become desperate for food or money or shelter, or for drugs or alcohol? I'll tell you what happens, desperate times call for desperate measures and the old, the infirmed, the normal everyday person gets mugged, stabbed, broken into, killed and what's the answer then? Blame the symptom, not the cause! Moronic, lazy fixes like put 'em in jail and throw away the key; yep, that'll fix the problem!

Alcohol and drug addiction is terrorism and it is by far, the most insipid and dangerous thing happening in our society and it needs to be tackled by those who have studied and spent a lifetime in the drug rehabilitation sphere and it is to those people we should turn to in order to start to eradicate the drug scourge and to tackle alcoholism, not to the Morrison's and Bernardi's of this world who have absolutely no idea of what life is like in the real world.

Treating welfare recipients as suspected druggies and alchies is a disgrace. It is demeaning and does absolutely nothing to help nor inspire those who do not have jobs. We are entering a recession and this disgrace that Morrison and his mob of snobs want to expand will lead to violence and crime but that's OK for Scotty because he needs scapegoats and diversions whilst Australia goes down the gurgler.

So long as Scotty's mates are sipping cognac and eating caviar on the decks of their 70 foot cruisers, secure in the knowledge that the 6 billion smakeroos the taxpayer gifts them every year is safe, then all is well. The taxpayer is more concerned with kicking the living daylights out of the unemployed and blaming them for the recession than worrying about handing over $6,000,000,000 of their hard earned to those who pay no tax and are on incomes that the vast majority of us can only dream of. Are you as upset about those people as you are about people in their late 40's and 50's who have Buckley's chance of getting a job and who reject the idea of being humiliated in order to receive such a paltry amount that it means they have to live like paupers?
 
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