BackTuesday, 26 September 2017
Cashless Debit Card Trial in Ceduna – Response
The Hon. K.L. VINCENT: Thank you, sir. If that is your ruling, I am happy to follow it. I wonder if the minister could outline the wraparound services he described in his answer, particularly given that the administrative cost for the rollout of the cashless welfare card is estimated to be $10,000 per recipient of that card? How does the cost or the funding allowed for wraparound services compare to that cost?
The Hon. P. MALINAUSKAS (Minister for Police, Minister for Correctional Services, Minister for Emergency Services, Minister for Road Safety): The Hon. Ms Vincent is asking a range of questions that don’t pertain to my specific portfolio area, but I am more than happy to see if we can acquire that information. I have to say that if the $10,000 spent is delivering an outcome, then I think that might be a worthwhile investment, but rather than comment off the cuff, I am more than happy to see if the responsible minister who is handling these particular areas in the other place can take that question on notice.
In reply to the Hon K Vincent MLC (1 June 2017)
The Hon. K.L. VINCENT: I wonder if the minister could outline the wraparound services he described in his answer, particularly given that the administrative cost for the rollout of the cashless welfare card is estimated to be $10,000 per recipient of that card? How does the cost or the funding allowed for wraparound services compare to that cost?
The Hon. I.K. HUNTER (Minister for Sustainability, Environment and Conservation, Minister for Water and the River Murray, Minister for Climate Change): The Minister for Communities and Social Inclusion has provided the following advice:
The cashless debit card is an initiative of the commonwealth government.
I am advised the commonwealth government provided $1 million funding for wraparound services in the Far West Coast to support the 12-month trial (March 2016 to March 2017) of the cashless debit card.
These services included:
- funding for a coordinator for the Mobile Outreach Street Beat program, an active outreach service in Ceduna established as part of the Ceduna Service Reform Program;
- additional funding to the Ceduna Family Violence Prevention Legal Service to run targeted workshops and sessions to address domestic violence;
- a rapid response fund to support urgent access to drug and alcohol services; and
- alcohol and other drug outreach workers, including a registered nurse (via Drug and Alcohol Services SA/non-government providers).
The trial has been extended to 30 June 2018 and I am advised that a further package for wraparound services to support this extension is being finalised by the commonwealth.
I have also been advised the quoted cost of $10,000 per recipient includes one-off start-up costs for the trial and the actual per recipient cost is lower.
