Scott Morrison shuts down ‘Labor lie’ that has worried millions of Aussies

Scott Morrison has shut down claims his government will introduce a cashless debit card for pensioners if they are reelected in the upcoming election.  

Mr Morrison was asked about the debit card by the Today Show’s Karl Stefanovic on Thursday morning.

‘This question comes from my mum: “Jenny from the block” in Cairns, she asks if she is ever going to have a cashless pensioner card if you’re reelected?’

Mr Morrison responded by simply saying ‘no’.

‘It is an absolute lie and I think it’s disgraceful how they’re scaring pensioners into voting Labor,’ Mr Morrison said.

‘No cashless debit card for pensioners, it is an atrocious lie from Labor.’

The cashless debit card, being trailed in some parts of Australia, quarantines 80 per cent of JobSeeker payments for under 35s to prevent welfare being spent on alcohol, gambling and drugs. 

Mr Morrison’s comments come as several Labor MPs, including Justine Elliot and Julian Hill use social media advertising to claim the Morrison government plans to extend its cashless debit card to all age pensioners as part of a scare campaign, despite the Morrison government repeatedly ruling out such a move.

In July 2021 the Labor party also launched a website claiming the ‘Liberal-National government wants to expand the cashless debit card to include all pensioners;’.

The website says: ‘Mr Morrison’s Liberal-National Government wants to expand the Cashless Debit Card to include all pensioners.’

‘80% of your pension payment would be put on the privatised cashless card. It’s not like an ordinary bank debit card – it can only be used at shops that are approved by the Government,’ the Labor party website claims.

‘Labor will fight this government’s plans to expand this shameful cashless debit card and force it onto pensioners,’ it says.

National Seniors Australia chief advocate Ian Henschke told 3AW he received calls from fearful pensioners who are worried they’d be put onto the scheme if the government is reelected.

‘Why don’t we just focus on the real policies instead of the ones that are not real? This is what we should be doing,’ he said.