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

Today the Morrison Government is cutting JobKeeper payments to millions of Australians by at least $300 per fortnight in the middle of the deepest recession in almost a century.

It makes no sense at all for Scott Morrison and Josh Frydenberg to be ripping out vital support from the economy without a comprehensive jobs plan to replace it.

Labor has always said that support should be tailored to the economic conditions, but the Government is cutting the JobKeeper program at a time of unacceptably high unemployment when it expects another 400,000 Australians to lose their jobs by Christmas. 

This is the wrong decision for many workers, businesses, and communities and will make the unemployment queues longer than they need to be.

While some businesses are getting back on their feet, many other businesses in virus-hit sectors have not yet begun their recovery.

Premature JobKeeper cuts will see less money circulating in local economies that desperately need it, hurting local businesses and risking more job losses and business closures.

Instead of a jobs plan, Scott Morrison and Josh Frydenberg are offering up JobKeeper cuts, JobSeeker cuts, super cuts, wages cuts, a pension freeze and more pointing the finger and shifting the blame.

Australians deserve a plan from the Morrison Government to promote growth, protect and create jobs, support business and set us all up for the recovery.

MONDAY, 28 SEPTEMBER 2020