Cashless welfare: Labor vows to end compulsory use of basics card

Opposition last year committed to scrapping the cashless debit card and says continued use of basics card will be voluntary

• Follow our Australia news live blog for the latest updates
• Read Guardian Australia's full federal election coverage
• Download the free Guardian app; get our morning email briefing

Labor has given a clear signal it will end the basics card as a compulsory scheme, allowing more than 20,000 welfare recipients in the Northern Territory to exit the program.

Anthony Albanese last year committed to scrapping the cashless debit card, which operates in trial sites in Western Australia, Queensland and South Australia and until recently was run solely by the private banking provider Indue.