with 
BRENDAN O'CONNOR
SHADOW MINISTER FOR EMPLOYMENT AND INDUSTRY
SHADOW MINISTER FOR SCIENCE
SHADOW MINISTER FOR SMALL AND FAMILY BUSINESS
MEMBER FOR GORTON

New ABS figures out today have highlighted the jobs crisis confronting Australians, with 480,000 payroll jobs lost since the virus outbreak.
 
In the teeth of this crisis the country needs a comprehensive jobs plan, not another marketing exercise from the Morrison Government which has been more interested in chasing headlines than chasing jobs.
 
In the middle of a jobs crisis with the Government still expecting unemployment to increase, it makes no sense for Scott Morrison to be cutting support from the economy, particularly with no jobs plan to replace it.
 
The ABS Weekly Payroll and Wages update reveals that between 14 March 2020 and 5 September:

• Payroll jobs decreased by 4.5 per cent and total wages decreased by 4.3 per cent;
• Payroll jobs worked by men decreased by 5 per cent and those worked by women decreased by 4.3 per cent
• Young people and older Australian workers were heavily impacted by the downturn, with payroll jobs worked by people aged 70 and over decreasing by 11.1 per cent and those worked by people aged 20-29 decreased by 6.7 per cent.
• Payroll jobs in the accommodation and food services sector decreased by 21.9 per cent and the arts and recreation services industry saw a 14.1 per cent decline. 

 
Scott Morrison’s cuts to JobKeeper will make the worst recession in almost a century even deeper, push more workers into the unemployment queues and jeopardise Australia’s recovery.
 
Instead of a jobs plan, Scott Morrison and Josh Frydenberg are offering up JobKeeper cuts, JobSeeker cuts, super cuts, wages cuts, a pension freeze and more pointing the finger and shifting the blame.
 
Australians deserve a plan from the Morrison Government to promote growth, protect and create jobs, support business and set us all up for the recovery.
 
TUESDAY, 22 SEPTEMBER 2020