edited
18th Dec 2020
Social Security (Administration) Amendment (Continuation of Cashless Welfare) Bill 2020 - Second Reading - Keep wording unchanged
Passed by a small majority
No rebellions 81% attendance
9th Dec 2020, 12:09 AM – Senate Social Security (Administration) Amendment (Continuation of Cashless Welfare) Bill 2020 - in Committee - Northern Territory
Summary
EditThe majority voted to agree to amendments (2) to (8) on sheet TK264 and (1) and (2) on sheet TK265, which means they succeeded. These amendments related to income management in the Northern Territory.
SA Senator Anne Ruston (Liberal) explained that:
This amendment seeks to make the transition from the income management scheme in the Northern Territory, from the BasicsCard to the cashless debit card, a voluntary scheme. It will allow those people who are currently on the BasicsCard in the Northern Territory who wish to transition to the cashless debit card to do so as a voluntary scheme. If they choose to remain on the BasicsCard they will also be able to do that.
Though SA Senator Penny Wong (Labor) argued that:
I just want to take issue with one of the things the minister said, because she asserted that this would somehow make this all voluntary. Well, it won't. The amendment will effectively make it a Hobson's choice between a grey card and a green card. So Labor isn't supporting the government's amendment, because it isn't making income management voluntary. What it is doing is simply providing a choice of a different coloured piece of plastic.
More about the bill
The bill was introduced "to establish the Cashless Debit Card (CDC) as an ongoing program rather than a time-limited trial". The CDC program is controversial for many reasons, not least the limited evidence that it is benefiting the communities where it is currently in operation.
Read more about the program and what the bill does in the bills digest.
Votes Passed by a small majority
Nobody rebelled against their party.
| Party | Votes | |
|---|---|---|
| Australian Greens (100% turnout) | 0 Yes – 9 No | |
| Mehreen Faruqi NSW | No | |
| Sarah Hanson-Young SA | No | |
| Nick McKim Tasmania | No | |
| Janet Rice Victoria | No | |
| Rachel Siewert WA | No | |
| Jordon Steele-John WA | No | |
| Lidia Thorpe Victoria | No | |
| Larissa Waters Queensland | No | |
| Peter Whish-Wilson Tasmania | No | |
| Australian Labor Party (84% turnout) | 0 Yes – 21 No | |
| Tim Ayres NSW | No | |
| Catryna Bilyk Tasmania | No | |
| Anthony Chisholm Queensland | No | |
| Raff Ciccone Victoria | No | |
| Patrick Dodson WA | No | |
| Don Farrell SA | No | |
| Alex Gallacher SA | No | |
| Nita Green Queensland | No | |
| Kristina Keneally NSW | No | |
| Kimberley Kitching Victoria | No | |
| Jenny McAllister NSW | No | |
| Malarndirri McCarthy NT | No | |
| Deborah O'Neill NSW | No | |
| Helen Polley Tasmania | No | |
| Louise Pratt WA | No | |
| Tony Sheldon NSW | No | |
| Glenn Sterle WA | No | |
| Anne Urquhart Tasmania | No | |
| Jess Walsh Victoria | No | |
| Murray Watt Queensland | No | |
| Penny Wong SA | No | |
| Carol Brown Tasmania | Absent | |
| Kim Carr Victoria | Absent | |
| Katy Gallagher ACT | Absent | |
| Marielle Smith SA | Absent | |
| Stirling Griff SA Centre Alliance | Absent | |
| Sam McMahon NT Country Liberal Party | Yes | |
| Sue Lines WA Deputy President | No | |
| Rex Patrick SA Independent | Yes | |
| Jacqui Lambie Tasmania Jacqui Lambie Network | No | |
| Liberal National Party (50% turnout) | 1 Yes – 0 No | |
| James McGrath Queensland | Yes | |
| Matthew Canavan Queensland | Absent | |
| Liberal Party (90% turnout) | 26 Yes – 0 No | |
| Eric Abetz Tasmania | Yes | |
| Alex Antic SA | Yes | |
| Wendy Askew Tasmania | Yes | |
| Simon Birmingham SA | Yes | |
| Andrew Bragg NSW | Yes | |
| Slade Brockman WA | Yes | |
| Michaelia Cash WA | Yes | |
| Claire Chandler Tasmania | Yes | |
| Richard Colbeck Tasmania | Yes | |
| Jonathon Duniam Tasmania | Yes | |
| David Fawcett SA | Yes | |
| Concetta Fierravanti-Wells NSW | Yes | |
| Sarah Henderson Victoria | Yes | |
| Jane Hume Victoria | Yes | |
| Andrew McLachlan SA | Yes | |
| Jim Molan NSW | Yes | |
| Matt O'Sullivan WA | Yes | |
| James Paterson Victoria | Yes | |
| Marise Payne NSW | Yes | |
| Linda Reynolds WA | Yes | |
| Anne Ruston SA | Yes | |
| Paul Scarr Queensland | Yes | |
| Ben Small WA | Yes | |
| Dean Smith WA | Yes | |
| Amanda Stoker Queensland | Yes | |
| David Van Victoria | Yes | |
| Hollie Hughes NSW | Absent | |
| Gerard Rennick Queensland | Absent | |
| Zed Seselja ACT | Absent | |
| National Party (100% turnout) | 3 Yes – 0 No | |
| Perin Davey NSW | Yes | |
| Susan McDonald Queensland | Yes | |
| Bridget McKenzie Victoria | Yes | |
| Pauline Hanson's One Nation Party (100% turnout) | 2 Yes – 0 No | |
| Pauline Hanson Queensland | Yes | |
| Malcolm Roberts Queensland | Yes | |
| Scott Ryan Victoria President | Yes | |
| Totals (88% turnout) | 35 Yes – 32 No |
Turnout is the percentage of members eligible to vote that did vote.