An increased amount of welfare recipients could soon receive payments in the form of cashless debit cards.
Last week's federal budget allocated an undisclosed amount of money dedicated to the continuation of its cashless debit card trail. The program is an attempt to curb drug ,alcohol abuse, and gambling abuse and is currently being trailed in 4 regions across the country.
A bill expected to be voted on before Christmas would make the program permanent in the four sites currently involved in the trail as well as an additional 25 thousand people in the Northern Territory and Cape York.
The Federal government is confident the program has had a positive impact however multiple groups have condemned the program. Among them MG Corporation chairman Lawford Benning, who supported the roll out in 2016 but has since withdrawn his support explaining the program has yet to deliver the positive social outcomes expected.