Regional workers abandoned by Covid payment scheme

From a mum of three retail worker to cafe staff, these are the regional Victorian workers who’ve missed out on Covid payments.

Casual workers have been shut-out of Federal Government Covid disaster payments despite being hard hit by restrictions.

Casual workers are furious the Federal Government has abandoned regional Victorians in desperate need of temporary Covid disaster payments.

Payments of $500 are available to people aged over 17 who normally work more than 20 hours a week while those working less receive $325.

The package is only available to people unable to work because of a lockdown lasting longer than a week in an area defined as a hotspot by the federal chief medical officer.

People living in regional Victoria don’t qualify because restrictions were eased after one week and the region wasn’t classified a hotspot.

Mum of three Caitlyn Frecklington, who has had casual shifts at a retail store in Warragul slashed, said she was devastated about missing out on the support package.

“I’ve been put off for two weeks due to us not having the foot traffic in our shop,” she said.

“This is because so many of our customers are from greater Melbourne.”

Mrs Frecklington said Melbourne’s lockdown had impacted her Warragul photography business which was on the borderline between regional Victoria and greater Melbourne.

“Under the restrictions, I’m not allowed to enter people’s home,” she said.

Mrs Frecklington said she hoped the Federal Government worked out a way to support regional casual workers.

“It’s pretty rough,” she said. “I need to make an income to support my family.”

Warrnambool’s Bohemia Cafe and Bar owner Steve Hickman said his 8-9 casual staff, mostly aged between 18-25, had been impacted by last week’s lockdown.

“They’re all hurting,” he said. “That’s pretty cruel (casuals not being able to access the payments) because our casuals who would normally have worked a five-day week got probably one or two days if they were lucky.”

There had been one ray of sunshine for his casuals.

“We were very lucky that one of our very regular and good customers felt sorry for our workers and donated $500 to them,” he said.

Mallee federal Nationals MP Anne Webster said a network of gyms in her electorate had 30 staff out-of-work because of restrictions keeping the doors closed.

She highlighted the plight of those workers, and sectors she felt had slipped through the net, last week in a letter to Prime Minister Scott Morrison.

Dr Webster said the gym business was bleeding about $20,000 without being able to open and it was “appalling” staff had been left without help.

“I believe there are certain industries and businesses in regional Victoria that are still subject to lockdown,” she said.

“I think it’s cruel and unfair they are not caught up in this (assistance) as well.”

Liberal Member for Monash Russell Broadbent said the payment was “not fair” on regional Victorians.

“Why punish people when they get caught up in lockdown not of their own making and exclude them from the help because it’s not a federal hotspot?” he said.

Goulburn Valley mother Alaina May said the seven-day lockdown had severely impacted her young family and to not receive the payment was “ridiculous”.

“My partner and I are both low income, casual workers,” she said.

“We have a child to support, rent and bills to pay (and have) to put food on the table. My partner checked his job seeker yesterday and he was (lucky enough to be) given a payment.

“I cried, I thought we were out.

“It may only be a week we are off work, but it‘s the fact how backwards it can take you before you find your feet and probably end up in the same cycle (if there is another lockdown).”

Labor Bendigo MP Lisa Chesters said her office received frantic calls from casual workers and business owners asking for help during the statewide lockdown.

Even as regional businesses reopened, Ms Chesters said many casuals felt abandoned by the Federal Government scheme.

“(They) don’t care about the little people,” she said.

Ms Chesters said Bendigo businesses were not running at full capacity, meaning thousands of workers were missing out on shifts.

“Through no fault of their own, through no fault of the business, they’ve lost work,” she said.

Ms Chesters called for a review of the system, suggesting a JobKeeper-like payment scheme when state lockdowns were activated.

Independent Federal Member for Indi Helen Haines said the Federal Government’s financial assistance package wasn’t sufficient.

“Many people in northeast Victoria working in hospitality, tourism and accommodation are out of work because of the ongoing lockdown, as their businesses rely on Melbourne tourists,” Ms Haines said.

“One constituent is a casual worker at a boutique hotel near Wangaratta. The hotel was closed on May 28 because most of the clientele is from Melbourne.

“She hasn’t had any work since then, and the lockdown is going to cost her $1500 in lost wages.”

Ms Haines said support should be available to all workers who were suffering a reduction in income because of the Covid pandemic.

“The impact on jobs isn’t restricted to a geographical area, and support shouldn’t depend on this either,” she said.

Lockdown was eased across regional Victoria from Friday, removing the five reasons and allowing hospitality venues to reopen.