Government announces six months of $1,500-a-week ‘job keeper’ payments worth $130 BILLION to keep Aussies in jobs
Scott Morrison has announced a plan to pay millions of Australians’ wages to stop more workers being sacked due to the coronavirus shut down.
Businesses will be paid up to $1,500 per fortnight for each of their employees for the next six months, provided they don’t sack anyone.
That is about 70 per cent of the median wage and is roughly equal to the median wage in the industries most affected such as hospitality and tourism.
The policy, which will cost $130billion and affect six million Australians, is part of the government’s third round of measures to shore up the creaking economy.
The payments will be made to businesses and sole traders whose revenues decrease by 30 per cent or more due to the coronavirus fallout.
Any business that turns over more than $1billion will have to prove revenues are down 50 per cent to be eligible.
Scott Morrison has announced a plan to pay thousands of Australians’ wages to stop more workers being sacked due to the coronavirus shut down
Earlier today it was announced two people in their 80s died of coronavirus in Tasmania and Canberra, taking the national death toll to 18.
Meanwhile, people who gather in groups bigger than two in New South Wales face a $1,000 fine from midnight.
Repeat offenders can even face six months in jail under the Public Health Act.
NSW Police Commissioner Mick Fuller said on Monday morning that he was prepared to be lenient over the new laws.
‘We don’t want to have to enforce these laws. We want to work with you,’ he said.
He also announced that 1,200 Australians arriving from overseas today will be quarantined in hotels for two weeks to slow the spread of the virus.
On Sunday, 1,400 Australians arrived and were taken to hotels by the Army.
People who break social distancing rules face a $1,000 fine in New South Wales from midnight, Premier Gladys Berejiklian (pictured) announced today
Victorians who are caught with more than one other person except immediate family will be slapped with a $1,652 on the spot fine from Tuesday.
‘If you are having friends over for dinner or friends over for drinks that are not members of your household, then you are breaking the law,’ Premier Andrews said.
‘If we allow our health system to be overrun, then people will die. That is just a price that is just not worth paying. No gathering with friends is worth someone’s life,’ he warned.
It comes as the number of cases in Australia soars past 4,000.
New South Wales saw 127 new cases in the past 24 hours.
In the 24 hours to Saturday morning there were 212 new cases and on Sunday morning 174 new cases were announced, meaning the rate of infection appears to be declining due to the restrictions.
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian urged Australians over 70 to stay at home.
She said: ‘If you are over 70 you shouldn’t leave home at all. I know this is difficult and I appreciate that for some parts of the day, people might want to get out and exercise.
‘That is OK, so long as you don’t come into contact with anybody else.
‘This disease, this virus is particularly – has a horrible impact on those who are older and vulnerable and it is time for us to protect the most vulnerable in the community.
‘Can I stress please take care of each other and make sure people over 70 are not leaving their homes and make sure they have support.’