You may have read about it last month. Mining billionaire Andrew Forrest, who works closely with Aboriginal communities in this state's north and has sunk a lot of money into helping local communities, has sent a very controversial proposal to the Abbott government.

Basically, under Mr Forrest’s plan, all welfare recipients, with the exception of aged pensioners and veterans, would be forced into income management with no discretionary spending. Essentially the goal is to make it impossible for welfare recipients to spend the money they are given on drugs or alcohol.

Mr Forrest spoke with 7.30 WA;

"This is not income management, this is not welfare quarantining, this is full value but in the form of a debit card just like all of us have, just a debit card out of your wallet," he said.

"There's no stigma attached, it's just cashless so you do the drug barons out of a job, not your child out of a job."

"We won't get a different result by doing things the same way."

Watch the interview and read more about the proposal here.