Australians on cashless welfare card express 'hopelessness' after Coalition's plan to cement scheme

Controversial scheme which quarantines up to 80% of a welfare recipient's payments will become permanent across four trial sites

Welfare recipients on the cashless debit card say they feel a sense of hopelessness" after the federal government announced plans to make the scheme permanent across four trial sites.

The decision in this month's federal budget comes as the most recent figures show a provision to allow cardholders to exit the scheme has only approved one in four applications.