New welfare debit card shown off

A day after parliament approved the trial of a new debit welfare card, the federal government minister responsible turned up with the real thing.

Assistant Social Services Minister Alan Tudge on Thursday brandished the card as he spruiked the measure to reporters at Parliament House.

The card will be trialled in the South Australian town of Ceduna where welfare recipients won't be allowed to use it for purchasing alcohol or for gambling.

Greens senator Rachel Siewert is concerned the card won't address the long-term causes of substance abuse in disadvantaged communities.

"What we need to be doing is looking at how we provide wraparound services and strong substance abuse services," she told reporters in Canberra.

Senator Siewert criticised the government's spend on the measure while at the same time cutting funding to social services in other areas.