3 years ago
HOW MANY JOBS WILL BE LOST WHEN JOBSEEKER IS CUT?
LINDA BURNEY MP
The Government should immediately release Treasury modelling on how many jobs will be lost when JobSeeker is wound down.
From tomorrow, the JobSeeker payment coronavirus supplement will be wound down from $550 per fortnight to $250 per fortnight.
It is scheduled to return to the old base rate on 31 December.
The Government’s latest figures show that over 2.2 million Australians are receiving the Coronavirus supplement.*
This means that from tomorrow, the equivalent of $680 million per fortnight will be taken out of the Australian economy, including over:
From tomorrow, the JobSeeker payment coronavirus supplement will be wound down from $550 per fortnight to $250 per fortnight.
It is scheduled to return to the old base rate on 31 December.
The Government’s latest figures show that over 2.2 million Australians are receiving the Coronavirus supplement.*
This means that from tomorrow, the equivalent of $680 million per fortnight will be taken out of the Australian economy, including over:
- $197 million in New South Wales
- $174 million in Victoria
- $151 million in Queensland
- $71 million in Western Australia
- $51 million in South Australia
- $16 million in Tasmania
- $10 million in the Northern Territory
- $6 million in the Australian Capital Territory
This is the equivalent to over 260,000 Australian jobs.**
Social security recipients spend on local and small businesses, sustaining local jobs.
Deloitte Access Economics has previously undertaken its own modelling on the economic impact of the Government’s JobSeeker cuts.
The Australian Retail Association has also warned of the impact on the retail sector and retail jobs.
It is now time for the Government to be upfront with Australian workers and Australian businesses as to how many jobs will be lost when JobSeeker is cut.
Labor has previously sought Treasury advice or modelling on the economic impact of the JobSeeker snapback, through the Senate Covid Committee.
The Prime Minister was asked four times on ABC’s Insiders last Sunday on whether he had obtained Treasury modelling on the economic impact of his JobSeeker cuts.
The Prime Minister said, “Well what Treasury says is that we need to boost aggregate demand in our economy.”
Well, what impact will his JobSeeker cuts have on aggregate demand in the Australian economy?
How many Australians will be placed into hardship?
The Government should release the Treasury modelling.
If the Government doesn’t have the modelling, it needs to explain how it has been able to make a decision about the JobSeeker wind-down without this crucial information.
Then it needs to obtain and release the modelling urgently.
Australians deserve to know how many jobs will be lost because of the Prime Minister’s JobSeeker cuts.
In the middle of a recession, now is not the time to cut JobSeeker.
Social security recipients spend on local and small businesses, sustaining local jobs.
Deloitte Access Economics has previously undertaken its own modelling on the economic impact of the Government’s JobSeeker cuts.
The Australian Retail Association has also warned of the impact on the retail sector and retail jobs.
It is now time for the Government to be upfront with Australian workers and Australian businesses as to how many jobs will be lost when JobSeeker is cut.
Labor has previously sought Treasury advice or modelling on the economic impact of the JobSeeker snapback, through the Senate Covid Committee.
The Prime Minister was asked four times on ABC’s Insiders last Sunday on whether he had obtained Treasury modelling on the economic impact of his JobSeeker cuts.
The Prime Minister said, “Well what Treasury says is that we need to boost aggregate demand in our economy.”
Well, what impact will his JobSeeker cuts have on aggregate demand in the Australian economy?
How many Australians will be placed into hardship?
The Government should release the Treasury modelling.
If the Government doesn’t have the modelling, it needs to explain how it has been able to make a decision about the JobSeeker wind-down without this crucial information.
Then it needs to obtain and release the modelling urgently.
Australians deserve to know how many jobs will be lost because of the Prime Minister’s JobSeeker cuts.
In the middle of a recession, now is not the time to cut JobSeeker.