Lower house nixes S-card system

The lower house on Thursday passed legislation put forward by the Senate effectively nixing the controversial S-Card system which was to have streamlined the payment of social benefits for recipients. The system is expected to come to an end later this year; pensioners, welfare recipients or others will receive payments to their account or be able to cash in cheques at their local post office as was the case before. The legislation will now head to the upper house.