Friday, 4 March 2022

Member for Keppel must apologise to pensioners over Cashless Debit Card lies

State and Federal representatives are calling on Member for Keppel Brittany Lauga to apologise to pensioners in Queensland over false claims she made publicly regarding the cashless debit card in the Queensland Legislative Assembly and on social media.

The calls come after Ms Lauga was forced to apologise in the Queensland Legislative Assembly on the 24 February 2022 for misleading the House on claims she made on 30 November 2021.

Federal Member for Hinkler Keith Pitt said the Member for Keppel’s stunning admission that she misled the State Parliament on the Cashless Debit Card shows that Labor can’t be trusted.

“Both State and Federal Labor MPs have continued to spread misinformation about the Cashless Debit Card, unnecessarily worrying our senior citizens, and now they’ve been caught out.

“I’ve lost count how many times I have told people that aged pensioners will not be put onto the Cashless Debit Card – it’s simply not true.

“The Coalition Government has not, does not and will not have a policy of placing aged pensioners on the Cashless Debit Card.

“In the Hinkler trial, the Cashless Debit Card is only for recipients 35 and under and on the following payments: Jobseeker Payment, Youth Allowance (Job seeker), Parenting Payment (Single) or Parenting Payment (Partnered).

“The Cashless Debit Card is one tool in the toolbox – alongside dedicated shop-fronts to help recipients and other support services – to help unemployed people stabilise their lives and help them off welfare and into a job.

“All Labor MPs who have knowingly misled the Parliament about the Cashless Debit Card should withdraw their statements,” Mr Pitt said.

Member for Capricornia Michelle Landry said the claims made by the Member for Keppel and subsequent scare campaign by the Labor Party were false.

“The Federal Government has publicly ruled out ever requiring pensioners to use the Cashless Debit Card. Any suggestion the Government would force pensioners to use the card was and always will be, false.

“Ms Lauga must also delete social media posts she published on November 24th and December 1st which peddled her false claims.

“You can always rely on the Member for Keppel and the Labor Party to run scare campaigns instead of addressing important issues that matter to people,” Ms Landry said.

Member for Burnett Stephen Bennett said the misleading claims are a sign of things to come in the Federal Election.

“In the build up to the Federal election Labor will stop at nothing to scare Queenslanders and promote falsehoods.

“They are only interested in power and will try to influence the election at every turn.

“In forcing Labor members to apologise, it once again proves their integrity is in tatters,” Mr Bennett said.

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