3 years ago
MORRISON’S PANDEMIC LEAVE PAYMENT NOT GOOD ENOUGH
TONY BURKE MP
Australia needs a universal paid pandemic leave scheme to protect workers, public health and the national economy.
Labor and the unions have been calling for paid pandemic leave since the start of this pandemic five months ago.
We welcome that Scott Morrison has finally admitted that paid pandemic leave is necessary.
But all he did yesterday was announce new funding arrangements for a Victorian Government payment that already existed in a state already experiencing a second wave of infections.
This federal payment has come too late to prevent loss of life and an economy-smashing lockdown.
If Mr Morrison had listened five months ago this second wave may have been far less severe.
Paid pandemic leave is meant to prevent an outbreak.
We need a national scheme now to prevent a repeat of the Victorian outbreak in other states.
A Victorian disaster payment will not stop a worker in New South Wales or Queensland turning up to work sick.
With 80 per cent of new coronavirus infections in Victoria linked to workplaces it is obvious we need financial incentives to keep people at home when they’re sick or have been exposed to the virus.
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.
Labor and the unions have been calling for paid pandemic leave since the start of this pandemic five months ago.
We welcome that Scott Morrison has finally admitted that paid pandemic leave is necessary.
But all he did yesterday was announce new funding arrangements for a Victorian Government payment that already existed in a state already experiencing a second wave of infections.
This federal payment has come too late to prevent loss of life and an economy-smashing lockdown.
If Mr Morrison had listened five months ago this second wave may have been far less severe.
Paid pandemic leave is meant to prevent an outbreak.
We need a national scheme now to prevent a repeat of the Victorian outbreak in other states.
A Victorian disaster payment will not stop a worker in New South Wales or Queensland turning up to work sick.
With 80 per cent of new coronavirus infections in Victoria linked to workplaces it is obvious we need financial incentives to keep people at home when they’re sick or have been exposed to the virus.
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.