This issues paper asks whether the the Cashless Debit Card trial is achieving its stated objectives.

This report presents the final findings of the evaluation into the trial of a Cashless Debit Card (CDC) for income support payments in two remote communities. It finds that the trial was effective in reducing alcohol consumption and gambling, and had positive spill-over effects.

The concept of a 'Healthy Welfare Card', now renamed as the Cashless Debit Card (CDC), was a recommendation of the Forrest Review into Employment and Training. In March 2017 the Department of Social Services released a ‘Wave 1’ evaluation of the CDC trials in Ceduna and Kununurra. This paper reviews this evaluation report.

Developed in consultation with local community leaders, local and state government agencies and other Australian Government agencies, a 12-month trial is being conducted of a Cashless Debit Card for income support payments (ISPs) in two regional communities. The findings indicate that, overall, the CDCT has been effective to date in terms of its performance against...

The Australian Government is undertaking a Cashless Debit Card Trial (CDCT) to deliver and manage income support payments (ISPs), with the aim of reducing levels of community harm related to alcohol consumption, drug use and gambling. This report is focused on identifying initial conditions prevailing in the trial sites before the implementation of the CDCT.