Media Release- CASHLESS DEBIT CARD ABOLISHED.
We welcome the passing of Social Security (Administration) Amendment (Repeal of Cashless Debit Card and Other Measures) Bill 2022 and thank the 47th Parliament for abolishing the
Cashless Debit Card (CDC) program. This decision is a victory for
political integrity, community, commonsense and compassion.
We thankfully celebrate the ending of the CDC as the culmination of
close to a decades daily protest and as another landmark on the
continuing struggle towards ending all compulsory income management in
Australia.
Today is a New Day, and it belongs to all those forced onto the CDC program across Australia who have endured - especially to those who bravely stepped up and
shared their lived experiences at great risk
and expense to their and their families lives.
Through our struggle for the political recognition of our fundamental human and socioeconomic rights, the reality of the cruelty and injustice of the forced income management regime that exists in Australia has now been firmly embedded in the minds and hearts of millions. A new generation of now better informed Australians exists. The price of indifference is better known and the potential consequences of ongoing social and political apathy is much closer to home.
What has occurred on our watch in CDC regions
over the last seven years and across the Northern Territory over
the
last fifteen years, must never be permitted to occur again.
The entire compulsory income management system of punitive and
racist control must be dismantled and with it, the incessant surveillance and intrusion into peoples private lives. These next steps must be taken with deep respect and with full consideration of the
grief, injury and insult these programs have caused.
We will work to
ensure that end.
The passing of the CDC repealing bill offers a hope that meaningful change of and in our systems and structures is still possible. That is no small thing. It's also evidence that despite our many differences, we can still come together and choose to make more informed, more humane decisions and choices together.
We express our
enduring thanks to former senator Rachel Siewert for her humanity,
decency and strength and we thank the
Australian Labor Party for their fortitude and commitment. We
thank the Australian Greens for their dedication over decades and thank
all those
independents current and former who have stood with us and joined
the No Card campaign to end
this necrotic program in both houses.
Lastly thank you to our team and group members past and present and to everyone in our online and offline communities for all you have given and done over the last seven years.
Thank you for standing up, saying "NO!" and for your help making this momentous day possible.
Kathryn Wilkes and Amanda Smith
Co-Coordinators No Cashless Debit Card Australia (NCDCA)
Founder members The Say No Seven
28/09/2022
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