Cashless welfare card legislation due

New legislation will be introduced to federal parliament this week to expand the use of cashless welfare cards.

The cards quarantine 80 per cent of welfare payments to be used on food and other essentials, while the remainder is free to be withdrawn as cash, in a bid to curb problem drinking, drug use and gambling.

The Turnbull government is extending two trials - at the East Kimberley in Western Australia and Ceduna in South Australia - and will soon announce two more pilot sites after a recent review found the cards had been effective.