Covid-19: More doses for SW Sydney, asset test for $500 weekly payment to workers scrapped

The asset test limiting who can access weekly payments of up to $500 for losing work hours during a Covid-19 lockdown will now be waived.

The asset test limiting who can access weekly payments of up to $500 for losing work hours during a Covid-19 lockdown will soon be waived while the federal government seeks to bring an additional 300,000 vaccine doses to areas of southwest Sydney hit hard by the current coronavirus outbreak.

From week three of a state-ordered lockdown — such as the one currently taking place in Sydney — workers will now be able to access federal government household support payments regardless of their assets.

Many businesses have closed during Sydney’s latest lockdown. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Nikki Short

Previously people who lost more than 20 hours work could only get $500 a week if they had less than $10,000 in liquid assets.

Those who lost less than 20 hours of work could access $325 a week, but also only if they did not have the assets.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced the changes in Sydney on Thursday following a National Security Committee meeting earlier that day.

The payment is only available from the second week of lockdown onward.

It is understood the asset test will only be waived from week three of a lockdown.

“It doesn’t matter what funds you have available … (this is) recognising that we are not just dealing with a one week period or two week period here,” Mr Morrison said.

The payments will be made available from today for Sydney and from the 11th for the greater Sydney region.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison gives a Covid update at Kirribilli House. Picture: 9NEWS

Mr Morrison also flagged that an additional 300,000 vaccines would be made available for LGAs in southwest Sydney that have become the greatest area of concern in the current outbreak, and urged that those who have had their first dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine to pull forward their second dose to the eight-week mark, consistent with Health Department advice.

Half of the 300,000 vaccine doses being fast tracked to NSW will be Pfizer in an effort to boost supply as Sydney battles an ongoing outbreak of the highly infectious Delta variant.

The prime minister also urged people, particularly those living in southwest Sydney, to follow health advice and limit movements.

“Compliance with the orders that have been put in place by the NSW government could not be more critical,” Mr Morrison said.

“It’s just not OK for people to go to each others’ houses at this time.”

Originally published as Covid-19: More doses for SW Sydney, asset test for $500 weekly payment to workers scrapped