Government warned welfare drug testing plan will backfire
Forcing welfare recipients to submit to drug tests will bring a new crime wave to Sydney’s west, the federal government has been warned.
People who return positive results will lose control of their payments and critics claim they will find new ways to feed their addictions.
For some in Bankstown the government payments are used for anything but welfare.
“I know a lot of people that are on youth allowance or Centrelink that spend all their money on drugs,” youth allowance recipient Ayyoob Sahibzada said.
That is a key reason why the government chose Canterbury-Bankstown as the first location for its welfare drug testing program.
From January, 1750 Newstart and Youth Allowance recipients will be tested for ice, ecstasy and marijuana.
Social Services Minister Christian Porter said the plan was designed to “identify people with a problem to ensure that cash just doesn’t flow out the door”.
Anyone who tests positive will have 80 per cent of their payment quarantined onto a “basics card” for use only on essentials such as food, rent and childcare.
Those who failed more than once will be referred for treatment.
But some fear the policy will lead to a crime wave in the area as addicts find other ways to feed their habits.
“There’s no miracle cure - they’re not going to just stop taking the drug, are they” Newstart recipient Chris said.
Matt Noffs from the Noffs Foundation warned the policy could hurt the community.
“If you want to see a drug dealing den again like we saw 15 years ago then vote for this,” he said.
Labor and The Greens will move to block the two year trial while health and drug experts say the testing policy will not work.
“There’s no evidence that a measure like this will have any impact in a positive sense,” Associate Professor Nadine Ezard, from St Vincent’s Hospital, said.
Key crossbenchers are demanding guarantees for their support.
“We want to make sure that it’s about helping people not punishing people,” Senator Nick Xenophon said.
