Cash help during short lockdowns a go after national cabinet strikes new deal, in a coup for QLD

Queenslanders will get access to emergency government cash in the event of further lockdowns - even short ones - with small businesses also set to benefit under a new national cabinet deal.

Queenslanders will be able to access emergency government cash if ever another snap lockdown is called, with small businesses also set to benefit under a new national cabinet deal — but there are two caveats.

Under the new rules the length of the lockdown does not matter when it comes to emergency payments, a move that suits “short sharp” shutdown states like Queensland.

But the federal government’s Covid-19 disaster payments will only flow to workers disadvantaged by a lockdown if the Commonwealth officially declares the area a hotspot.

In order for these payments to flow, the state government must also commit to throwing its own cash on the table to fund “significant economic support” if the lockdown is less than a week.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk indicated on Friday she would be receptive to funding support for small business if the federal government came to the table to assist during lockdowns.

Under the lockdown support measures, people who lose 20 or more hours of work a week can access a $600 payment.

For those who lose between eight and 20 hours of work a week the payment will be $375.

Workers would be able to apply for the cash a week after a short lockdown is declared.

If a lockdown is longer than 14 days, the federal government’s business support measures will kick in, if the state government agrees to go halves.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison, emerging from national cabinet, reaffirmed Australia’s chief medical officer determines hotspots.

The CMO weighs up many factors before determining a hotspot, though one trigger includes a rolling average of 10 new cases a day for three days in a metropolitan area or three new cases a day over the same period in a regional area.

Queensland has had three snap lockdowns this year with Greater Brisbane not declared a Commonwealth hotspot during the latest four-day shutdown.

National Cabinet also agreed more people need to be getting the Covid-19 vaccination on weekends with the number of pharmacies joining the rollout set to triple by the end of July.

About 30,000 jabs are administered across Queensland every weekday, but halves to about 13,000 on Saturdays and drops to about 7000 on Sundays.

National cabinet was also informed of plans to open up more ways for aged care workers to get their mandatory jab, with less than 10 weeks to go until the deadline.

Mr Morrison also confirmed the crucial vaccination “threshold” that Australia needs to achieve the four-phase plan out of Covid-19 would be known by the end of July.

The vaccination threshold is being calculated by chief medical officer Paul Kelly and experts at the renowned Doherty Institute.