The cashless debit card and rights of persons with disabilities

Abstract

The Cashless Debit Card (CDC) was triggered by a recommendation in the 2014 Forrest Review, ostensibly to address substance abuse and gambling issues. The CDC applies to a broad range of social security payments, defined as ‘trigger’ payments, including a Disability Support Pension (DSP). This article contends that people with disabilities are likely to encounter a range of specific issues with the CDC, and that the scheme squares poorly with Australia’s international human rights obligations to persons with disabilities. We argue that the CDC has pernicious effects in terms of deprivation of autonomy, subjection to stigma and denial of dignity.