STILL NO CERTAINTY FOR LOCKED DOWN SYDNEY

RICHARD MARLES MP
DEPUTY LEADER OF THE AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY
SHADOW MINISTER FOR NATIONAL RECONSTRUCTION, EMPLOYMENT, SKILLS AND SMALL BUSINESS
MEMBER FOR CORIO

TONY BURKE MP
SHADOW MINISTER FOR INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS
MEMBER FOR WATSON
 
JIM CHALMERS MP
SHADOW TREASURER
MEMBER FOR RANKIN
 
MATT KEOGH MP
SHADOW MINISTER ASSISTING FOR SMALL BUSINESS 
FEDERAL MEMBER FOR BURT

Despite spending $500 million a week Scott Morrison cannot guarantee Australians hurting from this lockdown will keep their job.

Having abandoned millions of Australians in lockdown and tens of thousands of businesses struggling to pay their rent and wages, the Morrison Government has finally conceded what everyone else has known for a fortnight - more support is desperately needed to help the victims of its own incompetence.

After leaving businesses and workers in limbo for the past two weeks scrambling to work out a plan, what Scott Morrison has announced today is not enough to give businesses any security and does not provide support for those who have already lost their job.

Scott Morrison and Josh Frydenberg have not provided support that guarantees the crucial link between employees and business which was the most important element of JobKeeper.

Labor is also concerned the 40 per cent subsidy may not be sufficient incentive for some employers to keep workers on and avoid stand-downs.

We’ve always said that any support should be responsible, temporary, tailored to the economic conditions, and targeted to those in genuine need.

Australians are once again paying the price for Scott Morrison and Josh Frydenberg ripping away help too quickly and rolling out vaccines too slowly.

They have not provided businesses the certainty and security they have sought.

Businesses deserve a meaningful response, not policy on the run, with no clear indication if there will be rental relief for small business.

Despite their own Budget assuming more damaging lockdowns as a direct result of their bungled vaccine roll-out, the Morrison Government has failed to plan for them.

We need a uniform, consistent plan so business know what the back-up plan is, we can’t let business go through another 12 months of uncertainty.

It will be clear in the coming days and weeks whether or not the support announced today is enough to help those Australians who are hurting.

As we have come to learn all too often with Scott Morrison and Josh Frydenberg, the rhetoric rarely matches the reality.

Make no mistake, responsibility for any worker who is left without a job and any business which is forced to close its doors sits squarely at the feet of Scott Morrison, his bungled vaccine roll-out and stubborn refusal to build fit-for-purpose quarantine to protect Australians and the recovery.

TUESDAY, 13 JULY 2021