Some of Australia's leading business figures were consulted on the design of the $130 billion JobKeeper payment, including Solomon Lew, who was in tears as he spoke to Treasurer Josh Frydenberg last week hours after his company, Premier Investments, stood down 12,000 workers.

The payment, which will provide wages of $1500 a fortnight to up to 6 million people, was put together in the past couple of weeks, starting straight after the government announced its second package containing $66 billion in support measures.