Drug tests for the dole: Young job seekers face random testing
Thousands of Australians will soon be forced to undertake random drug tests to hold onto their welfare payments.
Beginning next year, 5000 Newstart and Youth Allowance recipients across three locations will be included in the two-year trial of drug testing.
The government will also introduce a crackdown on anyone receiving multiple payments and recipients who fail to turn up to appointments or to take on work could face losing their payments completely.
Job seekers will be selected at random and tested for drugs including ecstasy, ice and marijuana.
Anyone who tests positive to a test will be placed on welfare quarantining, while those who fail more than once will be referred to medical professions for assessment and treatment.
“We will no longer accept, as an excuse from repeat offenders, that the reason they could not meet their mutual obligation requirements was because they were drunk or drug-affected,” Treasurer Scott Morrison said.
“JobSeeker recipients who test positive would be placed on the Cashless Debit Card for their welfare payments and be subjected to further tests and possible referral for treatment.”
No comments:
Post a Comment