3 years ago
PAID PANDEMIC LEAVE DELAY COULD PROVE DEADLY
TONY BURKE MP
Every day the Morrison Government delays on paid pandemic leave puts Australian lives and livelihoods at risk.
It has been obvious since the COVID-19 pandemic began in March that paid pandemic leave is a critical measure to protect workers’ lives, public health and the national economy.
And yet five months later the Government is talking about consultation processes and evidence gathering.
The crisis in Victoria should be all the evidence they need.
With 80 per cent of new coronavirus infections linked to workplaces it is clear we need financial incentives to keep people at home when they’re sick or have been exposed to the virus.
There can be no doubt a universal paid pandemic leave scheme could have prevented some of Victoria’s terrible toll. If we don’t move now other states could follow.
Yet even today Treasurer Josh Frydenberg has refused to actually back a scheme, saying only the government is “consulting with the key stakeholders to work through these issues”.
Workers cannot be forced to choose between paying their bills and protecting their colleagues, customers and patients. Whenever we force that choice on people the community is put at risk.
Unless we get a universal scheme we will have more community transmission, leading to more outbreaks and economy-smashing lockdowns. We cannot afford not to do this.
The Government needs to wake up.
It is out of time. It was out of time on this months ago.
Further delay will be deadly.
It has been obvious since the COVID-19 pandemic began in March that paid pandemic leave is a critical measure to protect workers’ lives, public health and the national economy.
And yet five months later the Government is talking about consultation processes and evidence gathering.
The crisis in Victoria should be all the evidence they need.
With 80 per cent of new coronavirus infections linked to workplaces it is clear we need financial incentives to keep people at home when they’re sick or have been exposed to the virus.
There can be no doubt a universal paid pandemic leave scheme could have prevented some of Victoria’s terrible toll. If we don’t move now other states could follow.
Yet even today Treasurer Josh Frydenberg has refused to actually back a scheme, saying only the government is “consulting with the key stakeholders to work through these issues”.
Workers cannot be forced to choose between paying their bills and protecting their colleagues, customers and patients. Whenever we force that choice on people the community is put at risk.
Unless we get a universal scheme we will have more community transmission, leading to more outbreaks and economy-smashing lockdowns. We cannot afford not to do this.
The Government needs to wake up.
It is out of time. It was out of time on this months ago.
Further delay will be deadly.