In new changes to the JobKeeper scheme, allegedly more than 500,000 extra Australians could have access to the payment.
The $15 billion adjustments come as Victoria continues to see a drastic increase in coronavirus cases amidst Stage 4 lockdown.
More than 500,000 previously uneligible Australians will allegedly now have access to JobKeeper in changes announced by Treasurer Josh Frydenberg.
“Today we’re announcing two significant changes to JobKeeper. The first is to the business turnover test and the second is to the eligible employee test,” Treasurer Josh Frydenberg described in a press conference.
Frydenberg revealed that businesses now only needed to demonstrate their earnings had fallen in one quarter, rather than two, to be eligible for the payment. Previously, a business would have had to prove that their income was down in both the June and September quarters to be eligible for JobKeeper in the December quarter, however, now they only need to prove they were down in the September quarter.
Secondly, Frydenberg announced that employees who worked for a business as of the July 1 – rather than March 1 – would be now eligible for the payment.
#JobKeeper what? where? how? Again?? #auspol
— GM (@wakey_wakey2020) August 7, 2020
Would really like it if i was eligible for jobkeeper
— Caine Purnell (@caine_purnell) August 7, 2020
Both changes take into account the fact that businesses may have reported higher earnings and hired more staff during the period after the first lockdown, only to now find themselves faced with even more stringent restrictions.
“We believe that about 530,000 extra Victorian employees will now join the JobKeeper program over the September quarter, that means 1.5 million Victorian employees will be using JobKeeper,” Treasurer Josh Frydenberg described, as reported by the ABC.
if they’re changing jobkeeper rules can they pull eligibility forward by another month? asking for a friend who started 11 months prior to shit hitting the fan
— 𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐚𝐝 (@cherryIoneIy) August 6, 2020
Whilst the changes will apply country wide, it’s expected that the majority of new eligibile businesses and employees will come from Victoria.
The JobKeeper payment is set to remain at the current amount until September 28, when it will then split into two tiers with the dollar amount decreased over time.
Whilst the announcment is welcome news for many, it has been met with some criticism. Some have been vocal about the fact that the payment is still set to decrease in September, despite the fact that Victoria is currently in Stage 4 lockdown and the rest of the country is trailing behind.
Can anybody confirm if JobKeeper is going to continue at 1500 a fortnight in Victoria or will continue to be reduced from end of September?
— quarantanya 2.0 (@tanyavolt) August 7, 2020
The Coalition isn’t watching a slow motion car crash – it’s in the drivers seat.
You can’t turn off stimulus while unemployment is 13% and hope for anything but disaster for workers and businesses. Reverse the cuts to jobseeker and jobkeeper.
— Ed Miller (@EMHMiller) August 6, 2020
For those who claim to be interested in journalists’ role in political accountability, @abcnews AM show this morning asked @JoshFrydenberg to justify why #jobkeeper is being reduced. He failed to answer. Will #journalists pursue this important Q #auspol #journalism
— Wendy Bacon (@Wendy_Bacon) August 6, 2020
Others have argued that businesses may need to withdraw from JobKeeper entirely because its not economically viable.
Many businesses will be withdrawing from jobkeeper and terminating employment because it ties up money that is needed to cover bills, even for a closed business
— Rogue Dogued (@RDogued) August 7, 2020
And many have called out the fact that there are still so many Australians in need who remain uneligible.
sigh, another round of #JobKeeper that I can’t apply for because the multi-million-dollar company I work for only wants to give me less than minimum wage hours. I guess I’ll keep working the 20 hours a week I work after 14 years of employment and continue to jog in place.
— Big and Fluffy, Small and Sad (@FloofRam) August 7, 2020
Caught up with a friend who is a childcare worker this morning, stood down by Vic shutdown. What is the logic of not giving these workers JobKeeper? It’s such a fundamental part of our society. Focus is overwhelmingly on parents, which is important, but the workers need support.
— Osman Faruqi (@oz_f) August 4, 2020
My wife works in a cluster in the outer suburbs of Sydney at a NOT FOR PROFIT nursery school, works 5 days a week, is regarded as a essential worker, yet jobkeeper for her and her colleagues finished in July. She is now drawing on her LSL to cover her full wage.
— 💧🌈 Gary Rockliff♿☮️ (@GazmanRocks) August 7, 2020
Great work #Liberals #Jobkeeper #auspol #ausbiz pic.twitter.com/ji03dy6Sap
— dfox (@deltafox009) August 7, 2020
While this is a helpful step, JobKeeper continues to leave behind millions of casual and migrant workers. This is having a huge financial and health impact on workers. https://t.co/boREbSesHy
— WAU: Young Workers (@youngworkersvic) August 7, 2020
It has already barred people on temporary visas from accessing federal income support such as JobKeeper, and has left state governments to shoulder the responsibility.
The Federal Government needs to step up and support everyone during this crisis, irrespective of visa status.
— Colour Code (@colourcodeorgau) August 7, 2020
retweeting: Victoria’s Premier received a pay rise of more than $40,000 last month & ministers received increases too. Many public servants also received healthy pay rises. This is at the same time 1.5 million Victorians are relying on JobKeeper payments to financially survive.
— MSimp0 (@Simp04948286M) August 7, 2020
