Shire of Leonora Submission re Inquiry to the Standing Committee on Community Affairs Legislation Committee into the Social Security (Administration) Amendment (Income Management and Cashless Welfare) Bill 2019.

Introduction:

The Shire of Leonora is located some 200 kilometres north of , and 832 kilometres east of and covers an area of 31,893 sq kms. In the 2016 Census it had a population of 781 and indigenous people comprised 23 per cent. However, the population is augmented by more transient numbers through the establishment of semi-permanent mining camps.

The Shire of Leonora became part of the Cashless Debit Card (CDC) almost a year ago and is supportive of the trial to continue to 30 June 2020. The media perception of the CDC is that it is targeted at indigenous people, and the Shire would like to state that its support of the trial is without bias towards indigenous or non-indigenous welfare recipients, but rests with the demonstrated benefits of the CDC to the Leonora community.

Community Response:

The comparison between a society in the Northern Goldfields that has the cashless debit card and one without can be demonstrated by the recent disruption of life in Leonora by the impact of visitors from the "Lands", commonly the area east of Laverton towards Warburton and the (NG). These communities are not on the cashless debit card and when in town spend their money as they wish, whilst those who live locally abide by the conditions of the card. The result is that Leonora went from being a quiet peaceful town since the advent of the card, to one where anti-social behaviour prevailed. With the damage from these types of behaviour, notification was given to government agencies' employees to not stay in Leonora. The behaviour of visitors whose alcohol consumption was not curtailed by the CDC, had a negative effect on the business of those who have taken up the challenge to provide accommodation in a regional remote town. Therefore, economically, one of the externalities of having a population using a cashless debit card is the positive effect on small business growth.

In addition, with the CDC, there is a perception that Leonora is a safe and liveable community. A safe community is requisite to the attraction and retention of people in order to increase the population ofregional , and towns like Leonora. It is an important component in the attraction of the professional and skilled staff, who supply the services that are essential to a safe and liveable community, e.g. health, policing and education. These staff in tum need to feel safe in a community so that they can engage with it on a pro-active basis for their own wellbeing, otherwise they seek employment elsewhere. Prior to the CDC there is the opportunity cost of resources spent on dealing with alcohol or drug related issues by these service providers. Since the CDC, these resources are being utilised more positively. For example, there is a marked increase to policing moving away from "locking up offenders" to community policing initiatives, for example, more engagement with young people in Leonora and involvement of young people in sport in Laverton. Conclusion:

The Cashless Debit Card is not the answer to all the Northern Goldfield's problems; however, it is successful in providing a framework that allows the identification of the gaps in support services, and for agencies to work to meet these gaps on a pro-active basis. It provides an environment that attracts the professionals needed to employ these pro-active strategies. It takes policing away from dealing with anti-social behaviour and allows it to be more involved in preventative initiatives. It takes children off the streets and puts them where they should be, in their own homes with their families, so that they are not too tired to go to school. It contributes to the provision of a safe and liveable community for all those who live here, and especially for those whose country it is. The Shire of Leonora reiterates that it supports the extension of the Cashless Debit Card until 30 June 2020.

G Epis Chief Executive Officer Shire of Leonora 15th March 2019

2