Australians need ‘certainty’ over the future of JobKeeper and JobSeeker

Westpac senior economic Matt Hassan says business is urging the government to provide clarity over the future of the JobKeeper and JobSeeker programs. JobKeeper and Jobseeker is supposed to end in September, although businesses across multiple sectors have called on the Federal Government to extend the programs. The JobKeeper program is a wage subsidy package that provides a fortnightly payments of $1,500 to workers with businesses whose turnover has decreased by 30 per cent. JobSeeker is the enhanced unemployment payment, which the Federal Government brought in as the economic ramifications of COVID-19 began to bite. “And then there needs to be industry specific policies that are there to support businesses like that which will become fully operational but not straight away," he said. Mr Hassan also told Sky News some sectors won’t be able to function normally as the economy reopens, with international travel the “most heavily affected”. Image: Getty

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