Compulsory Income Management: A Critical Examination of the Emergence

of Conditional Welfare in Australia

Philip Mendes (2013) .Compulsory Income Management: A Critical Examination

of the Emergence of Conditional Welfare in Australia, Australian Social Work,
66(4), 495-510. https://doi.org/10.1080/0312407X.2012.708763

This article informs that coaliation government in 2007 introduced compulsory

income management indicating shift in the policy from stuctural to individualistic
explaination of social disadvantage. This article critically evaluate the argument for
and against CIM. Individualistic interpretation of social disadvantage reflects the
influence of neoliberal philosophy which believe income security should change
from being a right to privilege. In contrast, structural approach belive that to
address the indigenious problems, a government should take action. Also, in 2007,
the Australian government established the nothern terriority emergency response
which reported all the activities related to child abuse. This action was taken to
protect all the child, women of indigenious community from violence and put
restriction on alcohol, drugs, pornography. Reports also suggested that there have
been positive influence in the community since then, income spending on
household items have increased and expenses on alcohol have decreased.
However, there are some concerns regarding CIM being racially discriminatory.It
is difficult for CIM to single handedly discourage people to stop spending on
alcohols and drugs. In such case social workes in centerlink can provide their
professional assistance. Also, a reformed income management is required to
address all the problems from both stucturual and individualistis approach.