Assessment Answers on Cashless Debit Card 

What’s The Problem Represented to be in the Specific Policy (Cashless Debit Card)?

Topic: Social work

Pages/Words: 5 Page/1250 Words

Question 1: What’s the problem represented to be in the specific policy (cashless debit card)? (under 10 words)

Welfare cash being used for alcohol, gambling and drug misuse.

Question 2: What deep-seated presuppositions or assumptions (conceptual logics) underlie this representation of the “problem

The conceptual logics that underlie the representation of the problem can be seen in the historical events that led to the formation of Australia. The author states that “these contexts are marked by the significant social disadvantage and in many cases, extensive intergenerational trauma”(John Scott, 2018). The author further mentions that roots of trauma can be found in the multigenerational experiences of people living in CYWR communities in relation to the violent histories of colonization, segregation and relocation of original inhabitants.

In 2007 the IM scheme was developed by the government with the aim of reducing child sexual abuse in remote and rural indigenous communities. Additionally, other aims included enhancing community safety through law enforcement and reduction in family violence.

Similarly, Mendes states that “the key government arguments for IM target behavioral change with a particular emphasis on discouraging passive receipt of welfare and spending on irresponsible activities”(Mendes, 2018). The paper also goes on to explain that the general concept of the IM within the NTER (Northern Territory Emergency Response) was to protect and prevent child abuse, neglect and financial harassment against women. However, the governments logic and objective for implementing CYIM has a much border objective involving behavioral change in welfare recipients like promoting self-reliance, improving responsibility, reducing welfare dependency and improving parenting skills.

The other rationale included the reinstatement of the Racial Discrimination Act by amending the original NTER measures (Government of Australia, 2011). The focus was in areas that had high unemployment rates with large number of welfare recipients who were long term claimants(Australian Government, 2012).

 

Question 3: How has this representation of the “problem” come about?

Question 4: What is left unproblematic in this problem representation? Where are the silences? Can the “problem” be conceptualized differently?