Cashless Debit Card Trial, Ceduna

In reply to the Hon. K.L. VINCENT (1 June 2017).

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.