JobKeeper, aged-care to dominate pre-budget parliament

Josh Frydenberg says his JobKeeper extension plans are prioritising saving jobs over maintaining levels of pay, setting up a battle over wage subsidies in the Senate.

Treasurer Josh Frydenberg Picture: Getty Images

Josh Frydenberg says his JobKeeper extension plans are prioritising saving jobs over main­taining levels of pay, setting up a battle over wage subsidies in the Senate this week.

Anthony Albanese’s upper house team will push amendments to ensure that an extension on flexible workplace rules for businesses coming off JobKeeper — but still considered distressed — will not see JobKeeper workers paid less than the minimum wage.

The JobKeeper debate is likely to dominate the last parliamentary week before the October budget, with the government’s proposed veto over state and local government deals with foreign states, a major overhaul of environmental regulations and higher education student fee reforms set to face the house and Senate.

The Treasurer on Sunday said he opposed the Labor amendments, saying they would force employers no longer on JobKeeper to pay people at full hours, despite not having the capacity to, and that would lead to businesses going under.

“It’s not about ensuring the worker is getting exactly the same pay that they were previously — it’s about ensuring they maintain their job,” he told Sky News.

“Ultimately, Labor’s proposal could cost jobs. If you were to force an employer to pay someone, even if there was not the work for them, ultimately that could lead to more sackings.”

The opposition decided last Tuesday in a partyroom meeting it would vote for the JobKeeper legislation regardless.

Labor sources told The Australian on Sunday their question time strategy would focus on JobKeeper and continue its assault on Scott Morrison’s handling of the aged-care COVID crisis. The Opposition Leader said he would press the Prime Minister on boosting funds and staffing levels at aged-care homes.