Labor calls for ‘JobKeeper 2.0’ business subsidy

Anthony Albanese has demanded the Morrison government revive a JobKeeper-like wage subsidy for businesses crippled under the strain of NSW’s extended lockdown.

Labor leader Anthony Albanese. Picture: NCA NewsWire /Jono Searle

Anthony Albanese has demanded the Morrison government revive a JobKeeper-like wage subsidy for businesses crippled under the strain of NSW’s extended lockdown.

The Opposition Leader’s calls for a JobKeeper 2.0 comes amid the NSW government’s lobbying for increased commonwealth support, and as vaccine rollout chief Lieutenant General John Frewen works to refine his dose supply projections for the states after a deal to triple the access to Pfizer.

Asked on Sunday whether the wage subsidy should be reinstated for NSW, Mr Albanese said “if not JobKeeper, something very similar”.

“These businesses do need support and workers need support. Workers are suffering, they are losing their jobs. Businesses are losing their profitability and some are losing their capacity to be able to continue,” he said.

“If the circumstances are the same as when that support was provided, then why isn’t it being provided right now?

“If the government has another idea that would perform a similar function of keeping people in employment, then we would certainly be prepared to look at that.”

Last week, Scott Morrison announced the $10,000 liquid asset test for coronavirus disaster payments would be scrapped when state lockdowns entered a third week, allowing NSW residents in lockdown easier access to the income support payments of up to $500 a week.

But both the Prime Minister and Josh Frydenberg have, to date, rebuffed state demands for a new wage subsidy scheme following the end of JobKeeper in March.

Mr Albanese also said on Sunday the nation should not get to a point where it should “accept” Covid-19 deaths, as state and federal politicians in the past week said Australians should be prepared for a scenario where coronavirus cannot be eliminated.

“I don’t think that ever we should say we accept deaths,” he said.

“It is unfortunate that the government only initiated the Doherty Institute to look at these matters in the last week. We are 18 months into the pandemic.”

The Prime Minister last week announced a deal with Pfizer to bring forward one million doses a week in August and September, significantly upping supply in the vaccine rollout’s system.

On Sunday, General Frewen said he was working to refine his previous horizons on the availability of doses for those months.

“We have already indicated to states and territories the increased amounts that they can anticipate, particularly through July and out of the end of August,” he said in Canberra.