SA expected to recover 55,000 of the jobs lost in virus lockdowns

Tens of thousands of jobs lost to economically devastating coronavirus lockdowns are predicted to return to South Australia as the state gets an early jump on recovery.

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South Australia is expected to recover 55,000 of the jobs it lost because of the economically crippling coronavirus lockdowns, as the state steals a headstart on the road to recovery.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Premier Steven Marshall have revealed highly anticipated road maps back to normal life as Australians crush the curve with good social distancing and hygiene.

Mr Morrison’s three-step plan offers state leaders a menu to pick from, with early changes including increases in the numbers of people allowed to gather, encouraging children back to school and getting people physically active. The last restrictions to go are likely to be very large indoor gatherings and interstate travel.

Mr Marshall has revealed a plan that goes further than most other states, and faster.

Many of the restrictions imposed interstate never applied here, and SA is moving to return freedoms, including outdoor dining, regional getaways and limited outdoor sport training from Monday.

Federal Treasury estimates that, when fully implemented, the COVID-safe economy plan will restore 851,000 jobs nationwide. Of those, 55,000 jobs will be added in SA.

According to recent employment data and expert analysis, SA has already lost about 60,000 jobs during lockdown.

The next big date for SA comes on June 8, when the State Government hopes to be able to further increase the number of people who can gather together, as well as lift more restrictions on sports.

SA recorded no new coronavirus cases today, and only two people in the state have the disease. Nationwide, 18 new cases were confirmed yesterday. In Australia, 6914 people have been diagnosed with the disease.

Mr Marshall told The Advertiser last night he was eager for much of SA life to get back to normal by July, which could happen if health risks of the deadly virus were kept at bay.

“The conditions we have to progress (to open up) are testing, tracing and rapid response,” Mr Marshall said.

“I think we have got those.

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“So really the other key thing that we need in SA is continued observance of the restrictions and low-level daily infections. If those two things happen, we will progress very rapidly through the phases and will be COVID-safe by July.”

Mr Marshall said eradicating the disease in SA was also in the state’s grasp. “We said right from day one there was not a lot of difference between suppression and elimination,” he said. “It’s now quite clear SA’s heading very much toward elimination.”

SA Health chief public health officer, Professor Nicola Spurrier, said it was important any new cases were quickly identified.

“I’m hopeful that while we might see cases … that this will stay very localised,” she said. “We’ve got quite detailed plans about how to deal with those types of clusters.”

Mr Morrison said it was not possible to eliminate all risk.

“We must walk before we can run,” he said. “We know we need to be careful to preserve our gains, but if we wish to reclaim the ground we’ve lost, we cannot be too timid.

“We cannot allow our fear of going backwards stop us from going forwards.”