Well, it appears that the Government’s plan to implement a drug testing trial for welfare recipients is still on the ropes because of Tasmanian Independent Jacquie Lambie. She’s still demanding that MPs be tested too. This is just silly, populist politicking.

Her new demands seem to be around the level of rehab facilities available to those on welfare who test positive to illicit drugs and given that the Government has stated that the aim is to get these people the help they need, it seems like a sensible caveat.

The whole program is tied in with the rollout of a welfare card system that would see 80% of a recipient’s benefits put on to a card that can only be used for essentials.

It seems to me that opposition to this is split between those that oppose the card and those that oppose drug testing. In my view the two must go together to make it work.

If you’re against these programs, what are you really afraid of?