This is an article she wrote for the Bega District News.
Far too many newspapers in rural & regional Australia are not tackling this subject in any depth, even though their communities will be affected by the relentless rollout of the Indue Cashless Debit Card aka the 'Humiliation Card'.
So well done Zoë and Bega District News Editor, Ben Symth.
Bega District News, 10
February 2020:
I
am finding myself rubbing my eyes, as if to clear away the disbelief,
every time I see the news. I have to be honest - I'm struggling to
come to terms with what we are seeing emerge from government
leadership and I just cannot rationalise the social welfare policies
that have been rolled out since the last election, in particular.
My
naivete refuses to let me believe wholeheartedly that anyone elected
to represent the people could deliberately intend to be cruel.
I
want to believe that those in positions of power are just not
understanding the reality of the situation, or can't empathise with
something they've never experienced themselves. Or, perhaps, have
been swayed by data that can so easily be stacked to say whatever the
author want it to say.
I
don't want to be a cynic. But I'm becoming one. As a nation, we
continue to be labouring under the belief that people who don't have
a job have something wrong with them - that if you don't have any
money, it's because you can't manage it; that if you receive welfare
payments, you are going to waste income support on drugs, alcohol and
gambling.
The
2016 National Drug Strategy Household Survey states that people
experiencing unemployment are "3.1 times as likely to have used
meth/amphetamines". This oft-quoted line from the report is
regularly trotted out to justify the quarantining of income support
payments on the basis of preventing social harm. However, what this
figure actually refers to is the difference between 1.5 per cent of
employed people and 4.6 per cent of people experiencing unemployment.
It is not an encompassing statement about drug use across the board
and does not equate to people experiencing unemployment being three
times more likely to take drugs in general.
Would
it surprise you to know that 74.3 per cent of people experiencing
unemployment don't use drugs, or that more employed people are
"lifetime risky drinkers" or "single occasion risky
drinkers (monthly)", according to this same survey? Perhaps it
would floor you to realise that one in five Newstart recipients
actually have a job? They just don't have enough hours to completely
lose their Newstart payment.
In
light of this, I can understand why Senator Anne Ruston recently said
that the scope of the cashless welfare card needs to have a "broader
application than perhaps the social harm reduction that the original
policy was designed on", because that initial purpose is such a
flimsy basis that it simply doesn't stand up to scrutiny.
I
looked into how a person would go about applying for an exemption
from the card and the list of criteria was astounding.
According
to the exit application and support documentation, to successfully
exit the program "you must show reasonable management of your
affairs, including financial affairs."
To
do this, they will assess your Indue account information including
transactions made and transfer history AND cashless debit card
hotline information (presumably the recordings of calls "for
training purposes"), applications for urgent Centrelink
payments, suspensions, protection orders made against you, and even
health information including episodes of medical care relating to
drug and alcohol issues, to name a few. This breach of personal
privacy dumbfounds me. That you are put on the program regardless of
whether you actually have a history of drug, alcohol or financial
issues, and then are forced to prove yourself capable when the very
program stunts your agency and restricts your capacity to pay the
bills they require you to in order to exempt you is preposterous.
As
a citizen, the current investigations into a national rollout with
the big four banks involved to further curb our freedoms are
frightening. The rollout itself is terrifying enough, but it makes
you wonder what's next? What's the bigger picture, here?
I
have no answers, just a growing sense of dread. I think Thomas More
must be in office, because it is quite clear that this government is
first making thieves and then punishing them. But Utopia, this is
not.
There are currently an est. 15,000 people receiving a working age welfare payment, other than an Age Pension and Veterans’ Pension, who have been mandatorily placed on the neverending cashless debit card 'trial' program, with a further est. 23,000 people living in the Northern Territory to be forced onto the program in 2020.
What most people don't realise is that to date Indue Ltd only has 96 mixed merchants on its approved list and a whopping 729 businesses on its blocked list - including Australia Post, Deaf Services Queensland, Crisco Hampers, Casino Council, Westlawn Finance in Casino, and eBay to name a few.
Nor do they realise that Indue Ltd has placed conditions on card use that are not disclosed upfront on those federal government websites which include information about the cashless debit card.
The biggest brazen lie currently being told by the Morrison Government is that the Indue Cashless Debit Card operates "just like a regular bank card" - it does not.
The most important difference is that an eftpos bank card is normally attached to a bank account which pays interest on the balance held in the account on the last day of each calendar month - Indue does not pay interest on the balance held on a cashless debit card.
The second brazen lie is that a person who has been forced onto the Indue Cashless Debit Card can exit the trial program if they can prove they are good financial managers - it is nigh on impossible to exit as only 2 per cent of all applications are approved after input from the Australian Dept. of Government Services, various state or territory government departments and the local 'trial' community panel.
QCOSS Cashless Debit Card Trial Follow-up Hinkler Survey Results, October 2019, excerpts:
Crime and violence
“Lived in the same house for 5 years, before the card my street would be
pushing it to have 5 break-ins a year. Last month’s there were 5 break-ins in a
4 day period!!”
“I've lived it the same street for over 9 years and there has never been a break
in until just recently there were two thefts”
Financial hardship
“Currently seeing a financial counsellor as I am spending more then what I
usually would due to blocked merchants”
“Everything to do with my finances has become more difficult. Indue doesn't
pay bills on time which leads to defaults and extra fees. Because money is
split it makes it harder to budget. I no longer get high interest on my savings
as I can't save due to the 80% going to Indue”
Financial hardship - rent payments
“We aren't able to have our rent or bills processed by Indue. I personally could
not pay my rent off the card for nearly 3 months. I had to sell whatever I had to
make up the cash for rent.”
“I myself experience this myself the stress of trying to sort money out and
paying my rent is so hard as my real estate doesn’t accept this card therefore
all my money in my normal account goes entirely on just rent, nothing left”
Stigmatisation of social security recipients
“When I use my Indue card I have people often make snarky comments about
it. I have anxiety and hate using it. I try and cover the logo every time I have to
use the card.”
“I feel embarrassed to pull my card out and pay at places so I will often avoid
shopping on busy days as the added stress makes my anxiety
unmanageable.” “I personally have been called a junkie and a dole bludger at
the supermarket”
Access to second hand goods
“My loan company does not accept the Indue card forcing me to use my 20%
on loan repayments therefore I am forced to buy brand new goods for my
children instead of second hand on marketplace.”
“Cash only. Can't buy it. My sister can't buy a second hand washing machine.
Because it's cash only.”
“I have missed out on second-hand furniture from FB buy, swap, sell sites, I
can no longer purchase FAR CHEAPER products for things like crafting,
clothes for kids, bras etc off eBay as it is banned.”
People’s wellbeing
“I suffer from anxiety, depression, severe stress disorder and PTSD. I was in a
DV relationship for 5 years where my money was controlled by my abuser. I
left him over a year ago and now I am back in a DV relationship with Indue.
My health has deteriorated. I suffer from chronic migraines, they have
increasingly gotten more frequent and worse because I stress about money if
Indue will pay my bills on time. I also sleep very little of a night due to stress.
Overall my health and well-being has gone downhill.”
“I had to go on medication again because it just feels like I’m in an abusive
relationship again and they're just going to cut it off to change the rules again
whenever they want.”
Harassment for cash
“Frequently see persons around the region requesting donations of food,
clothing, blankets and money. Never saw this previously before this card was
introduced.”
“I've been harassed and abused for having physical cash in my wallet ever
since the trial started.”
“I've had a lot more people ask me for change than before the card was
introduced.”
Level of cash in the community
“Observing 2nd hand market there has been a definite decline and drop in
social numbers at markets etc”
“Seen first-hand businesses close and markets fail due to lack of stall holders
and attendees”
“No benefits, my pay goes to bills food and to my children. I never have money left over to use on
alcohol and i am not a drug user or have ever gambled. I am a student nurse doing the best I can for my
2 babies”
“In fact since being reduced to only 20% of my pay in cash I've been able to provide less for my family
than usual. Not to mention rent payment issues constantly.”
“Its destroyed my self-esteem an made it so i never leave the house. I only go to coles and home. To
ashamed to use it for public transportation to visit my son so he miss out as well."
“I have had the card not work in Woolworths when trying to purchase groceries (in their defence, they
were having major EFTPOS issues at the time, but the Indue card wouldn't work when other cards did),
I have missed out on opportunities to purchase second-hand goods due to not having access to cash -
i.e. a $15 line trimmer, and have overhead people talking about the card after seeing me use it or having
it not work as being the one 'given to the alchos' although I do not gamble, take drugs or drink alcohol.”
“I'm currently having details with rent and have had major difficulties with paying a road side mechanic
as well as every option I was allowed to choose in this question.”
“A lot of discrimination being on CDC. Unable to purchase second hand goods as well as unable to go
to the markets on weekends. Constant fear of the CDC declining when purchasing food.”
“Card declined despite available funds, inability to pay my bills as required without having to send off
invoices each time, Rent problems, Exclusion from venues related to kids, Inappropriate service from
DSS.”
“I was shopping for groceries as Aldi and I could only afford to pay part of my payment on my card as I
only had a small amount left and I just enough cash to pay the rest, as Aldi requires to process cash
first, I did but then when I went to pay with my card it declined and said it couldn't be used, so then I had
to stand there embarrassed with my groceries already half paid for but unable to pay the rest.”
“I have agoraphobia and now am forced to leave my house because my online shopping is declined
which is very distressing.”
“I would love to share my story more in depth. I moved to Hervey Bay 2 yrs ago for support and a house
to live in following my husband’s suicide. I have family here and they allowed me to live in their
investment property while I waited for support payments from Centrelink. (It took 4 months by the way).
The reason I am on this trigger payment is beyond my control and I have repeatedly discussed this with
dept of social services. I have since bought a house, have an excellent credit rating and am a damn
good mother to my sons. My youngest has turned 5 and I am now able to begin looking to return to work
next year. Even my teenage son has a job and works at MacDonald’s. We shouldn’t be lumped into this
long term welfare dependency category just because we moved here 2 years ago. I wish we didn't,
because I wish my husband never took his own life, and I wish I never had to receive a goddamn single
parent pension.”
“My cousin was refused an apartment due to being on the card for he cannot pay his rent from it
according to the landlord.”
“We get degraded and called dole bludgers.. I am a mother of two and i have a spinal injury from
working as a jillaroo for 7yrs! i don't want to be made to feel like a second class citizens in my own
country!”
“I get discriminated by people every time I use the card. People have negative things to say or roll their
eyes at me and treat me as if I am a huge inconvenience to them. I am a carer I do not deserve to be on
this card.”
“Stranded no way to pay Car loan not paid Rent won’t process School fees”
“Online purchases blocked, lack of solution or feedback to enquiries, lack of information and inadequate
response, Family cash needs, transfer fees”
“My son was placed on the card at seventeen, he was too young to purchase alcohol, too young to
gamble and doesn't do drugs. The card didn't help him gain employment. He has found himself feeling
less than at times, and without access to certain products due to the restrictions on the use of the card.
After ten months of searching, he finally landed a job, and he can hardly wait until he can send the card
back to Indue.”
“This card has made my depression and anxiety much worse than it was I can't even stand to leave my
house because of it”
“I’ve been demoralized in line at the shops been discriminated trying to buy second hand stuff. Have lost
any self-esteem i had and am now isolated in my house. I never leave except to go to Coles”
“Card chip stopped working. Was left without card for 2 weeks because I wasn't told I could get a
temporary card until new card arrived... Was left to survive the fortnight with the 20% cash from account”
“My rent was not able to be paid without warning, as my housing limit was set to $0. Every 6 months i
have to fill out 2 forms and get my landlord to sign them just so i can continue paying rent. They didn't
send me a text, email or letter to warn me it was going to happen.”
