Jacqui Lambie says she will support drug testing the unemployed if government MPs subject themselves to the same test.Credit:Alex Ellinghausen
The policy,first developed under the Turnbull government,was rejected twice by the previous Senate but will be reintroduced when Parliament resumes after a six-week winter break.
"Like I said last time,I won't be supporting it until they are prepared to do that themselves,"Senator Lambie said.
Labor and the Greens on Friday joined health experts in condemning the government'sproposal to 5000 new recipients of Newstart and the Youth Allowance for illicit substances as"ineffective",saying drug addiction was a health issue that should not be dealt with through the welfare system.
Opposition spokeswoman for social services Linda Burney said the plan,whichwould place welfare recipients on a cashless debit card if they failed two random drug tests,was part of"a demonisation of welfare recipients"by the Coalition.
Linda Burney,in a press conference on Friday,said drug addiction was "a health issue" that should not be dealt with through the welfare system.Credit:AAP
"Randomised drug testing could see a 55-year-old being expected to urinate into a cup somewhere to prove that they are not a drug addict,"Ms Burney said.
Greens senator Rachel Siewert said the government was"morally bankrupt"and was taking"an ideological approach"despite expert advice against the move.