Earlier this week, the Moree Plains Shire Council unanimously rejected the option of trialing the cashless welfare card in the region.
Members of the community came together to have their say before the meeting and the local Councillors responded with not a single vote in favour of trialing the card for a period of 2 years.
The cashless welfare card has been the centre of much controversy and it’s removal was one of the demands put forward by Clinton Pryor in Canberra earlier this month. Many people have criticised the plan that is viewed by many as yet another attempt to break down Indigenous communities.
Support for the welfare card seems to come largely from the government, the media and mining companies which is a trio of red flags for us as Aboriginal people. The support is reminiscent of the support generated for the failed Recognise campaign which aimed to integrate our people into the Australian constitution.
Welcome to Country are strong advocates against the cashless welfare card and we will continue to watch the situation closely and call out any misleading claims put forward by the government, media or mining leaders.
