JobKeeper stampede in the NT as thousands of businesses sign up to Federal Government subsidy scheme

MORE than 7000 businesses in the Northern Territory have signed up for the Federal Government’s $130 billion JobKeeper wage subsidy scheme.

More than 7000 businesses in the Northern Territory have so far signed up for the Federal Government’s $130 billion JobKeeper wage subsidy scheme.

• NT businesses caught rorting JobKeeper scheme should face harsh punishment
• $130b wage subsidy will ‘breath life’ back into NT economy, say business leaders
• Coronavirus: Australian government announces $130b support package

MORE than 7000 businesses in the Northern Territory have signed up for the Federal Government’s $130 billion JobKeeper wage subsidy scheme.

The Australian Taxation Office has shown 703,359 unique businesses in Australia have registered for the JobKeeper subsidy for their employees as of Tuesday and about 7000 of those businesses are from the NT.

It comes as the JobKeeper package passed in federal parliament on Wednesday.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the scheme was the biggest economic lifeline in the nation’s history, designed to protect jobs during the coronavirus pandemic.

“Today is not about ideologies. We check those at the door,” he told parliament.

“Today is about defending and protecting Australia’s national sovereignty.”

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The Morrison Government is refusing to extend the JobKeeper scheme to more than two million casual workers, temporary visa holders and local council employees who will miss out.

In the NT, additional support has been extended to visa holders and international students under the Territory Government’s $5 million Worker and Wellbeing Fund.

Through government funding given to the Red Cross and Melaleuca Refugee Centre, they will be provided with financial support for basic necessities and cover emergency costs for urgent medical expenses and rental support.

Chief Minister Michael Gunner said he expected it would take about two years for NT businesses to fully recover from COVID-19 despite the JobKeeper payments and other government support.

“I think a lot of businesses will get through this but it’s the shape they’re in afterwards that worries me,” he said.

“This isn’t going to be a short problem for Territory businesses. Businesses are going to be in a degree of pain for at least two years.

“Now I believe that they will come out of that pain and it will lessen but when next year’s dry season has to pay for this year’s dry season (for many tourism operators) – that’s a lot of pressure.”

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Chamber of Commerce NT chief executive Greg Ireland said businesses caught trying to rort the JobKeeper scheme should receive harsh punishment.

“There is no place for this type of behaviour,” Mr Ireland said.