Morrison government failed to show cashless debit card scheme works, auditor general says

The government has not demonstrated the cashless debit card is working despite operating trials for more than five years, the auditor general says. Photograph: Melissa Davey/The Guardian

The auditor general has been highly critical of the former government’s handling of the cashless debit card, finding the Morrison government had not demonstrated whether the scheme was working despite operating trials across the country for more than five years.

A scathing Australian National Audit Office (ANAO) report, tabled in parliament on Thursday, said the Department of Social Services, which ran the program, had “not demonstrated that the CDC program is meeting its intended objectives”.