Conditional welfare: A comparative case study of income management policies

Using an innovative methodology that incorporates a cross-national comparison of policy design and practice, this project aimed to explore the effects of income management (IM) policies. The research will provide new insights into IM in Australia, and its more recent introduction in New Zealand. The expected outcomes will provide benefits, such as a richer understanding of human agency, autonomy and social identity in the context of social policy.

Publications

Marston, G., Mendes, P., Bielefeld, S., Peterie, M., Staines, Z. and Roche, S. (2020) Hidden Costs: An Independent Study into Income Management in Australia. School of Social Science, The University of Queensland: Brisbane, Australia

Mendes, P., Roche, S., Marston, G., Peterie, M., Staines, Z., Bielefield, S. and Humpage, L. (2020). The Social Harms Outweigh the Benefits: A Study of Compulsory Income Management in Greater Shepparton and Playford, Australian Social Work

Media

The Conversation - 'I don't want anybody to see me using it': cashless welfare cards do more harm than good

Project Team:  Prof Greg Marston, A/Prof Philip Mendes, Dr Shelley Bielefeld and Louise Humpage

Project Funder: Australian Research Council (ARC)

Project Partners: The University of Queensland and Griffith University.