ADELE HORIN

Sydney Morning Herald

THE federal government's plan to extend income management of welfare payments beyond the Northern Territory is a ''clumsily disguised and cynical attempt'' to perpetuate racial discrimination against indigenous Australians, a former chief justice of the Family Court of Australia said yesterday.

Alastair Nicholson, now an honorary professorial fellow in law at the University of Melbourne, said he considered it ''highly unlikely'' the proposed powers would ever be used against welfare recipients generally.

''The real targets of the income management scheme are likely to be Aboriginal people, including Aboriginal people living beyond the Northern Territory.''

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