Advocates have hit back at Opposition leader Peter Dutton's claims that the abolishment of the cashless debit card would lead to more family violence in Aboriginal communities.
While visiting Adelaide, Mr Dutton spoke to reporters about the government’s push to abolish the cashless debit card (CDC), an initiative for the former coalition government's welfare reform.
The policy quarantined a portion of a person’s welfare income, and it could not be used to buy alcohol, gambling products, or for withdrawing cash.
Dutton claimed the removal of the card would see rates of violence increase in Indigenous communities, in particular, "against women and children," and prompted the government to focus place its focus on the issue.
'Takes power away'
Change the Record Co-Chair and Djirra CEO, Antionette Braybrook hit back Mr Dutton’s claims linking the abolition of the card to an increase in violence.
Instead, saying that the card “takes power away from Aboriginal women”.
“It particularly takes power away from Aboriginal women who need financial control and freedom to make choices that are in their best interests and the best interests of their children. That is self-determination,” she said.
The Kuku Yalanji woman has been on the frontline of family violence prevention for two decades. On Monday, she gave evidence to the CDC inquiry.
She told NITV News that Mr Dutton was incorrect in his claims.
“Contrary to what Mr Dutton has claimed, there is substantial evidence that domestic violence police call-outs increased significantly after the introduction of the Cashless Debit Card - not decreased,” she said.
“Independent studies across four cashless welfare sites found an increase in tensions and fighting within households due to the additional financial pressure that the Cashless Debit Card placed on families, and increased risk to women fleeing family violence as a result of having less available money at their disposal.”
Ms Braybrook said the solutions to family violence was not in government control of money of choices but rather in empowering First Nations women.
Kuku Yalanji woman Antoinette Braybrook said the CDC is about control not self-determination. Source: Supplied
"The solution is to provide culturally safe, trauma-informed, wrap-around services to support women to find safety and take control over their own lives and decisions," she said.
"Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women are ready to take control of their own lives no matter where they live, and we just need to make sure that the appropriate services are there for our woman to do just that.”
