with
TONY BURKE MP
SHADOW MINISTER FOR INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS
SHADOW MINISTER FOR THE ARTS
MANAGER OF OPPOSITION BUSINESS
MEMBER FOR WATSON
and
BRENDAN O’CONNOR MP
SHADOW MINISTER FOR EMPLOYMENT AND INDUSTRY SHADOW MINISTER FOR SCIENCE
SHADOW MINISTER FOR SMALL AND FAMILY BUSINESS
MEMBER FOR GORTON

JOSH FRYDENBERG ADMITS JOBKEEPER IS COMING UP SHORT

The Treasurer has been forced to concede that the Morrison Government has undershot its own JobKeeper enrolment targets by more than a million workers so far.

This is a stunning admission of failure from Josh Frydenberg that he is botching the rollout of the JobKeeper program.

Wage subsidies are a very good idea being badly implemented. Too many Australians are deliberately left out and left behind.

With just two days remaining for employers to make initial payments for the JobKeeper program, thousands of businesses are confused about their eligibility, uncertain about their obligations to their employees, or are struggling to access the vital bridging finance made necessary by the scheme’s design and its late rollout.

The fewer people the Morrison Government signs up to the JobKeeper program, the longer the unemployment queues and the harder the recovery.

This admission comes off the back of yesterday’s data which showed massive job losses and hits to workers’ wages concentrated in industries dominated by the casual workers the Government has excluded.

Labor has been constructive, supportive and responsible throughout this virus outbreak. But being constructive does not mean being silent when there are clear gaps that need to be filled.

The Treasurer still has the power to include more workers in the scheme and protect more jobs, and he needs to use this power urgently.

Labor’s priority is to protect jobs and support Australian workers, businesses, families and communities through this difficult time.

WEDNESDAY, 6 MAY 2020