Kieran Gilbert
Joining me live in the studio is Michaelia Cash – the Deputy Liberal leader in the Senate. Thanks for your time. Just on a WA story that’s emerged over the last few days, it’s the Goldfields town of Laverton. We’ve been focusing a lot on Alice Springs but the reports suggesting that one of the liquor licenses – the pub in the town has started restricting alcohol sales, and the local Shire President is blaming the removal of the cashless debit card. Is that your understanding?
Senator Cash
Absolutely. So Kieran, this is just a complete failure of government policy. If you recall last year, the Labor Party said they would abolish the cashless debit card, they also said that they would consult. The communities that we’re referring to in Western Australia, they begged the Albanese government, please do not get rid of the cashless debit card. Why? Because when we introduced it, guess what? The alcohol abuse, the drug abuse, the kids wandering the streets half naked and not being fed… that all decreased. They said to the relevant minister, Amanda Rishworth – if you take this card away, you are literally returning to the community alcohol abuse, drug abuse, domestic violence, kids not being fed…
Kieran Gilbert
Are you saying that that has happened now in the Goldfields? Have they already come off those cards?
Senator Cash
Absolutely, they came off in October last year and at that time, Patrick Hill and Peter Craig – the respective Shire President’s in Laverton and Leonora, they said to Mr Albanese and Labor, we are telling you what will happen. They will line up for the cash and guess what… they have lined up for the cash. I mean, I’ve talked to Patrick today.
Kieran Gilbert
That’s in Laverton?
Senator Cash
Yes that’s in Laverton. And he said to me – Michaelia, I see it with my own eyes. They now get the cash, they walk into the liquor store, they’re buying cartons of Jim Beam, bottles of Jim Beam – not a bottle… cartons. And I quote Patrick here and listen to this; “they’re drinking it like Coke.” And the Albanese government thinks this is a success? The Albanese government has the audacity to say they want to listen to the voices, in particular of Indigenous Australians. Well in Laverton the entire community which includes Indigenous elders, they begged them not to do this. They did. And the sad thing is for the communities in Laverton and Leonora they are now suffering the direct consequences of a failure of Albanese government.
Kieran Gilbert
The governments saying that the people that have moved off cashless debit cards will move on to an enhanced income management. Why is that not sufficient?
Senator Cash
You can already see the enhanced income management, a) it’s voluntary (in many cases), and these people are not volunteering to go on it. And b) this is all about, they had the income quarantined and put on a card, okay? and then that card could not be used for things such as alcohol. What happens now – you go onto the website it says that you get the cash directly. And you go up there Patrick Hill has lived there for over 50 years. Peter Craig he’s also lived there for decades and decades and decades. And they’re very open on pension day – they get the cash, they walk in, they buy the grog. But what is worse is that they now have the kids yet again wandering the streets half naked, but not getting any food and I actually…
Kieran Gilbert
So that has returned?
Senator Cash
For months now.
Kieran Gilbert
You argue now since the removal of the cashless debit card?
Senator Cash
There is a direct correlation.
Kieran Gilbert
In the Goldfields?
Senator Cash
There is a direct correlation according to Presidents of both the Shire of Laverton and the Shire of Leonora. And there is no action from the Albanese government, no calling out of the Albanese government by Federal Labor, or Premier Mark McGowan in Western Australia. And that is why the Desert Inn Laverton has done this.
Kieran Gilbert
They’ve taken on themselves to do alcohol restrictions?
Senator Cash
Because no one else is doing it.
Kieran Gilbert
So, it’s one bottle per customer and things like that?
Senator Cash
That is correct. And you know it’s a really serious decision, because ultimately, they’re still a business. But they have actually said the money that we might actually make from letting people use their cash to buy this alcohol. It’s not actually worth it.
Kieran Gilbert
For the community unrest?
Senator Cash
Correct.
Kieran Gilbert
So we’ve seen the crime wave in Alice Springs. What sort of situation are they seeing in the Goldfields? So we’ve seen they’re saying there’s young kids on the streets and so on.
Senator Cash
Absolutely
Kieran Gilbert
Is there a safety issue there?
Senator Cash
Of course there is. People are actually fuelled with alcohol. But not only that, Patrick Hill – he said they recently picked up 23 empty bottles of Jim Beam on the local oval. The kids that had actually been fed properly for the last few years, you know, they had a place to go – they’re back on the streets. I said to Patrick, I mean, are you saying that literally they’re getting just like a can of coke and chips to eat. And he said to me, Michaelia, if they’re getting that – get real, get real. These people are spending their money on alcohol as a direct result of…
Kieran Gilbert
So you argue that the enhanced income management (the government is going to introduce to replace the cashless debit card or rename it). That’s not going to work?
Senator Cash
Oh, exactly. They were told at the time, please don’t do this. The scheme that is in place is actually having benefits in the community. They say the Albanese government that they ‘listen to people.’ Well, why didn’t you listen to the people of Laverton and the people of Leonora who told you what would happen? And guess what, now it’s happening. And it’s the Albanese government’s fault – and shame on Mark McGowan as Premier of my great state for not calling him out.
Kieran Gilbert
Well, we’ll try and speak to Patrick Hill over the coming days and get the government’s reaction to this as well via Amanda Rishworth. Because if this is unfolding in the Goldfields as the Shire Presidents are reporting.
Senator Cash
They’re on the ground every single day, they’re on the ground every single day. But what’s worse is you’ve got the Alice Springs issue.
Kieran Gilbert
The briefing that I’d received is that not all people had come off the card yet but you’re saying that’s already happened?
Senator Cash
People who were on the card and they have now decided to come off the card, the cash is now flowing, the alcohol is now being bought.
Kieran Gilbert
Michaelia Cash thanks for your time we’ll talk to you soon.
Senator Cash
Great to be with you.
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