The Government’s policy announcement of the week came via the Minister for Social Services, the Hon Christian Porter MP, who alongside junior Minister for Human Services, the Hon Alan Tudge MP, rolled out an election commitment with the trialling of a random drug testing regime for new job seekers.
The Government confirmed that from January 2018, the two-year drug testing trial across three locations will test 5,000 new recipients on various payments, including Newstart and Youth Allowance, for illicit substances including ice (methamphetamine), ecstasy (MDMA) and marijuana (THC).
Local Government areas Canterbury-Bankstown in Sydney’s southwest and Logan, south of Brisbane, were revealed as the first two locations.
The Government’s policy position was formulated by a high number of new welfare entrants and the link to the rise in popularity of the drug ice, which the Government contends is causing long-term welfare recipients trouble when seeking employment.
