PM confirms $500 cash bonus for Victorians affected by Covid lockdown

Scott Morrison has announced a disaster payment for eligible workers stood down without pay in Victoria – but it comes with strings attached.

Scott Morrison has announced a disaster payment of $500 for eligible workers stood down without pay in Victoria but it comes with strings attached.

The funding will apply to Commonwealth-determined hotspots across Australia for any lockdowns longer than seven days to “avoid any unnecessary hardship for Australians”.

The payment will be $500, made on a week-by-week basis, for people who normally work 20 hours a week or more, or $325 for those who work less than 20 hours.

Only workers aged 17 or older and employed before lockdown will be eligible, and they must be unable to work due to the restrictions in place in their home or place of business.

Workers will not be eligible if they are already claiming other special pandemic leave and they must self-declare they have liquid assets of less than $10,000.

“We are talking about somebody getting through the next week,” the Prime Minister said. “Who would normally be in an economic situation where every dollar counts.

“Where those have independent means of supporting themselves for a week then I think they would agree that reaching out for Commonwealth taxpayer-funded assistance is not something they would consider reasonable for such a short period of time.”

News.com.au broke the news this morning that the Morrison Government was considering cash disaster payments to the vulnerable that would include an income loss eligibility test.

Despite ruling out a JobKeeper scheme, Mr Morrison accepted the extended lockdown had changed the game.

“The challenges keep coming,” he said. “And we know that Victoria, more than anywhere, has suffered greater than any other part of the country.

“That is a simple fact. And they are going through that even again now.”

But Victoria has accused Mr Morrison of “walking away” from his responsibilities to vulnerable Victorians over his plan to split the cost of disaster payments with the state government.

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Acting Victorian Premier James Merlino warned the PM that income support was a clear responsibility of the Morrison Government.

“In terms of income support for workers, Victorian workers during this outbreak, that is a responsibility of the Federal Government,” Mr Merlino said earlier.

“I would be disappointed if we see yet another responsibility that is solely with the Commonwealth and the Commonwealth walking away from that. That would disappoint me.

“I think the appropriate thing, the respectful thing is still for the Federal Government announce rather than me announcing or taking you through the detail of my discussion with the Prime Minister last night. That wouldn‘t be appropriate. But I said it would be unreasonable to discount the support we have already provided to businesses over the last few days, almost half a billion.

“Business support is a Victorian government responsibility but support for workers, income support for people who have not got an income due to the Covid outbreak is a responsibility of the Federal Government and it would be a real disappointment if they walk away from yet another responsibility that is solely theirs.”

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The cash comes with conditions, with the Morrison Government determined to demand the state split the cost, to ensure it bears more of the cost when states lockdown.

The Australian Council of Social Services (ACOSS) has been calling for the Morrison Government to consider offering $1000 disaster payments to Victorians who have lost all of their paid work.

It suggested the existing Australian Government Disaster Recovery Payment (AGDRP) scheme could be used to help Victoria.

The scheme offers a one-off, non-means tested payment of $1000 per eligible adult and $400 per child who have been adversely affected by a major disaster either in Australia or overseas.

“Just as the Federal Government provides disaster recovery payments to people who have been the victims of bushfire or flood, it should provide pandemic recovery income support, including a pandemic disaster-recovery payment, for people who have lost paid work,” ACOSS CEO Dr Cassandra Goldie said.

“There’s no question that lock downs, while necessary to protect health, have been disasters for people who’ve lost paid work. This plan would ensure payments are fast-tracked to people who need them.”