PoliticsNow: ‘Sigh of relief’ as Scott Morrison announces Covid disaster payment
Victoria’s Council of Social Services has welcomed the move to offer relief payments of up to $500 for people in Covid hotspots.
- ‘Sigh of relief’ at relief payments
- PM rolls out lockdown help
- ‘Decision imminent’ on Avalon quarantine
- ABC boss’s personal apology to Porter
- Unis must focus on in-person learning
The news was weclomed by Victoria’s Council of Social Services which said the relief payments of up to $500 for people in Covid hot spots would be greeted with “a sigh of relief”.
Treasurer Josh Frydenberg has all but confirmed the Avalon airport is the preferred site for a Victorian quarantine alternative to hotels. Early on Thursday, while shutting down a return of JobKeeper payments, the Treasurer said support from the Morrison government ‘is not over’.
Here’s how the day in politics unfolded across Australia.
Rachel Baxendale4.05pm:O’Brien welcomes disaster package, slams backbencher
Victorian Opposition Leader Michael O’Brien has welcomed the federal government’s disaster relief package of payments of up to $500 for Victorians unable to work due to the lockdown, but slapped down a backbencher who claimed the cost of the package should be deducted from Victoria’s share of GST.
Mr O’Brien said he had been in contact with federal Treasurer Josh Frydenberg in recent days and “absolutely” welcomed the federal government “stepping in and supporting Victorians at a time like this”.
“It’s very important. We know there are workers who have been kept away from work, through no fault of their own,” he said.
“They’ve got rent they need to pay, they’ve got groceries they need to buy, and I welcome that the federal government is willing to step in and provide this payment.”
However, Mr O’Brien said the best solution for Victorians was ending Victoria’s lockdown as soon as possible.
“I think it was fair enough for the federal government to say that if it’s a short term lockdown, that the state government bears responsibility for it because it’s a state government decision.
“The fact that we have now sadly got an extended lockdown, I think it’s absolutely appropriate that the federal government has stepped in.
“There’s no perfect solution. No one’s going to be compensated (for) every dollar that they’re out of pocket.”
Mr O’Brien described as a “ridiculous suggestion” a tweets from backbencher Bev McArthur suggesting that if the federal government did “cave to the demands of (Victorian Treasurer) Tim Pallas, every single dollar that it costs federal taxpayers should be deducted from Victoria’s GST allocation.”
“Frankly that’s a ridiculous suggestion, it does not represent Liberal Party policy, and there’s a reason why the MP made that suggestion is not on the front bench,” Mr O’Brien said.
If the Federal Government does cave to the demands of Tim Pallas, every single dollar that it costs federal taxpayers should be deducted from Victoria’s GST allocation. This lockdown must end, the Commonwealth chequebook must close, and Victorian Government Ministers must resign.
— Bev McArthur MP (@BevMcArthurMP) June 3, 2021
The Feds should not cover for Vic Govt incompetence and incentivise more cruel lockdowns. How can we expect a miner in WA, a farmer in NSW or a tourism operator in Queensland to pick up the bill for the ineptitude of Vic Ministers? #SpringSt#EndLockdownhttps://t.co/57cGnpzvec
— Bev McArthur MP (@BevMcArthurMP) June 3, 2021
Olivia Caisley3.23pm:PM’s Covid response question of responsibility
Labor used question time on Thursday to pressure Scott Morrison into “taking responsibility” for the government’s failures in vaccinating vulnerable Australians and its overall Covid-19 response.
The Prime Minister faced a barrage of questions on the final day of the parliamentary sitting fortnight, asking him if he accepted responsibility for the sluggish administration of vaccines among aged care residents and workers.
The commonwealth’s sluggish administration of vaccines among nursing homes has been a key issue throughout the week as workers and residents had been deemed a “priority” under the government’s original timeline and were due to be fully vaccinated by Easter.
Mr Morrison said of course” he took responsibility for the national vaccination program and he was working closely with the states and territories to get as many jabs as possible administered.
“Of course I do,” he says. “That is why I take matters to states and territories together to get this job done, working with doctors, pharmacies, and I can tell you today that in the last 10 days there have been 1 million doses delivered.”
Mr Morrison also fired back at Labor, accusing them of undermining the national effort to fight Covid-19, as well as the overall vaccination effort.
READ MORE:Resident ‘livid’ over hotel quarantine waste
Olivia Caisley2.58pm: Albanese questions PM over aged care vaccinations
Labor leader Anthony Albanese asks Scott Morrison whether he takes responsibility for not delivering on the commitment to fully vaccinate aged and disability care residents and workers by Easter.
The issue reached a crescendo this week when senate estimates heard a little over half of aged care residents in Victoria had received their second Covid-19 dose as the state battled another surge in cases within nursing homes.
The Prime Minister passes the question to Health Minister Greg Hunt, who calls the Commonwealth’s “inreach” vaccination program an “extraordinary national achievement.”
“At this point, 99.7 per cent of aged care facilities around Australia have had a first vaccination,” he says.
“80.3 per cent of aged care facilities around Australia have had a second vaccination and what that shows is that it means we have seen156,436 residents, receive a first dose and of those, 126,046 have received a second dose. The importance of these vaccinations has been shown.”
Of the 910 coronavirus deaths recorded in Australia, 685 have been aged care residents.
On Thursday The Australian revealed the planned vaccination of aged care workers and elderly residents at a Victorian nursing home was cancelled by a commonwealth contractor at the eleventh hour because they were no longer considered a “priority”.
READ MORE: Jabs scrapped at 11th hour
Olivia Caisley2.44pm: PM questioned over Covid-Safe app
Deputy Labor leader Richard Marles calls on Scott Morrison to take responsibility for the “failure of the $70m COVID-Safe App to assist contact tracers.”
The Prime Minister passes the question to Stuart Roberts, who is representing Government Services Minister, Linda Reynolds.
He says the app is being effectively deployed by the states and territories to aid their contact tracing efforts.
“Thank you for the question,” he says. “I reject the premise of it and the number for it. As of the 27th May, COVID-safe had 7.4 million registrations... making it the most effective contact tracing app of its kind in the world.”
“I would continue to urge Australians to follow all health advice during the pandemic, to continue to use QR codes in terms of contact tracing, and venues to allow contact tracers to be there,” he says.
“I continue to urge Australians to use and ensure that they have the COVID safe app open, so that contact tracers can use it as they incorporate it into that contact tracing measures.”
Rachel Baxendale2.41pm: ‘Thousands of Victorians can breathe sigh of relief’
Victorian Council of Social Services CEO Emma King has welcomed news the federal government will grant disaster relief payments of up to $500 to people who have lost a fortnight’s work due to Victoria’s lockdown, but warned many in need will miss out.
“The COVID Disaster Relief Payment will mean thousands of Victorians can breathe a sigh of relief, but this payment isn’t perfect. It has more holes than Swiss cheese,” Ms King said.
“It doesn’t help you if you’re an underemployed casual, a migrant worker, an asylum seeker or an international student.
“It doesn’t help you if you’re currently unemployed. You’re still meant to rely on the inadequate JobSeeker payment.
“The eligibility criteria is extremely narrow ... but it’s better than nothing.”
Olivia Caisley 2.34pm: ‘99.7pc of aged care workers have had first dose’
Scott Morrison fields another question about the government’s failure to vaccinate the nation’s aged care residents quickly enough as Victoria battles another Covid-19 wave.
Labor MP Terri Butler says only half of residents at a nursing home in her electorate of Griffith in Queensland have not received their first dose. The Prime Minister asks Health Minister Greg Hunt to respond.
“99.7 per cent of facilities around Australia have now received first doses,” Mr Hunt says. “In addition to that, what we see is that 80 per cent of facilities around Australia have received second doses. Around the country, of 185,000 residential aged care facility residents, there are 156,000, or over 84.1 per cent that have received a first dose.”
He says 126,000 residents have received the second dose.
READ MORE:Qantas’ latest headache – snakes literally on a plane
Olivia Caisley2.27pm:‘Of course I take responsibility for aged care vaccinations’
In question time, opposition aged care spokesman Mark Butler calls on Scott Morrison to take responsibility for the commonwealth’s failure to vaccinate aged care workers in the designated time frame, “putting frail and vulnerable Australians at risk.”
The commonwealth has come under pressure in recent days over its sluggish rollout within nursing homes across the nation despite workers being deemed a “priority” under the government’s original timeline.
Health Minister Greg Hunt told question time on Wednesday over 40,000 workers or 17.3 per cent of commonwealth aged care workers had received their first dose and 34,390 were fully vaccinated. All workers and residents were scheduled to be fully vaccinated by April.
The Prime Minister says “of course” he takes responsibility for the national program.
“Of course I do,” he says. “That is why I take matters to states and territories together to get this job done, working with doctors, pharmacies, and I can tell you today that in the last 10 days there have been 1 million doses delivered.”
He says there are many methods the government can employ to lift the level of vaccinations, however he has not received health advice to make Covid-19 jabs mandatory for aged care workers.
“We have increased the point of contact, where they can have those vaccinations, in partnership with states and territories, once again, the Labor Party continues to undermine the national effort to get Australia vaccinated,” he says.
READ MORE: Shanahan – PM had no choice but to cough up
Joseph Lam1.38pm:When can I get my Covid disaster payment?
Australians who qualify for the federal government’s new temporary Covid-19 relief payment will be able to apply as early as Monday.
Emergency Minister David Littleproud said the federal government was already working with Services Australia to ensure a speedy rollout.
“We’ll be working with Services Australia to make sure that on Monday morning those people impacted that are in the defined commonwealth hotspot will be able to contact Centrelink and to be able to make their application,” he said.
Mr Littleproud said the rollout would be quick given the government’s previous experience with disaster relief.
“This is a well worn path. Unfortunately we know very well over the last couple of years from the disasters we have faced as a nation.,” he said.
“As a nation we have come through each and everyone of them but this is another step we will have to tape and there will probably be more by what we’re trying to do is provide that speed and agility that is required to make sure that nobody is left behind.”
“This is the opportunity of the federal government has seen as we see this virus evolve and our response is evolving, and so Centrelink is ready to go and they will have their people ready to move on Tuesday morning so that these dollars can hit people’s accounts as quickly as possible. Obviously, Centrelink is making sure they have the resources.”
Mr Littleproud Centrelink would undergo some changes over the weekend but those eligible could expect the money shortly.
“We would have liked to be in a day or so earlier but there are some upgrades taking place over the weekend that were already in place to be scheduled. And so therefore it has actually been delayed a day or so. People can be rest assured that the money will be on their account as it was during the fires, floods, and cyclones, and bushfires.”
The pandemic is not over & the neither is the support of the Morrison Govt. We have been with Australians every step of the way during the COVID crisis.
— Josh Frydenberg (@JoshFrydenberg) June 3, 2021
The Australian economy is bigger today than it was going into #COVID & that is a tribute to the hard-work of 25m Australians. pic.twitter.com/GbBnHvuQc1
The Australian Government is investing $60 million to extend support for COVID 19 response measures for Australia’s impacted aged care facilities until 30 June 2022.https://t.co/OD6Ozvhc1vpic.twitter.com/6RiYb0qTpR
— Australian Government (@ausgov) June 2, 2021
Joseph Lam1.31pm:Relief payment allows ‘dignity, respect’: Littleproud
David Littleproud has described the new payment for those affected by the Covid-19 lockdown as one of “dignity and respect”.
The Emergency Minister on Thursday announced the payment alongside Federal Treasurer Josh Frydenberg and Prime Minister Scott Morrison.
“We are using the disaster payment mechanism because of its agility and speed to be able to provide dignity and respect to those who have been impacted,” Mr Littleproud said.
Mr Littleproud said the payment provided an opportunity to work with the states and provide much-need support.
“What we’re trying to do is provide that speed and agility that is required to make sure that nobody is left behind, and obviously we’ll be working with the states to make sure that this partnership is national,” he said.
Joseph Lam1.25pm:Who qualifies for federal government Covid payment?
Prime Minister Scott Morrison has outlined the following criteria for the federal government’s new temporary Covid-19 payment plan for people unable to attend work due to being in lockdown in area described as a commonwealth hotspot:
– You must be 17 years or older
– An Australia resident or must be holding a visa of working class
– Must have less than $10,000 in liquid assets
– Be in lockdown in area declared a commonwealth hotspot
– Be in lockdown for more than seven consecutive days
Joseph Lam1.20pm:PM rolls out temporary lockdown disaster payments
Prime Minister Scott Morrison has announced a new temporary payment for Australians unable to work in lockdown in areas defined as a commonwealth hotspot.
Mr Morrison announced the payment on Thursday for those who are in lockdown for more than seven consecutive days.
The new payment, called the “temporary Covid disaster payment”, will provide up to $500 for those working 20 hours or more and $320 for those working less than that.
Ben Packham12.48pm:Payne not consulted on India flights jail, fine threat
Foreign Affairs Minister Marise Payne and her departmental secretary Frances Adamson have revealed they were not consulted on the government’s decision to threaten fines or jail for those breaching a ban on returning from India.
The ban under the Biosecurity Act, which has since been lifted, was instituted on April 30.
Senator Adamson said DFAT was told by the Department of Health the ban would be instituted on the morning of the 30th.
The department was not asked for advice on the decision, but Ms Adamson said she was not surprised, saying “there was an expectation that the decision simply to pause may not be sufficient to protect the Australian people”.
Senator Payne said she was unaware of the ban when she and Immigration Minister Alex Hawke spoke to members of Indian-Australian community leaders on April 30.
“The timing of the advice to me was after that discussion,” she said.
Labor Senator Penny Wong said: “Do you understand why they felt blindsided by that after your discussion with them?”
READ MORE:PM reveals charter flights to end travel ban
Rosie Lewis12.20pm:Northern beaches missed out, why shouldn’t Victoria?
Liberal backbencher Jason Falinski has lashed the Morrison government for considering new federal support for struggling businesses amid a 14-day lockdown in Victoria, after employers on the northern beaches suffered through a three-week lockdown over Christmas.
Josh Frydenberg is resisting pressure from the Victorian government, unions and industry groups to offer a localised version of JobKeeper to the state and assistance will be able to be delivered nationally.
It will also be temporary, targeted and use existing systems.
Mr Falinski said Sydney’s northern beaches businesses did not qualify for JobKeeper during the Christmas lockdown because the restrictions fell over two different quarters, meaning their revenue did not drop enough quarter-to-quarter to become eligible.
“Unless we’re going to go back (and offer support retrospectively), and we’re not, then those businesses missed out,” he told The Australian.
“I don’t understand why it is when we had a 200-plus outbreak, and I wasn’t asking for general help like a free-for-all, I was asking for those businesses that are geared up for that period, why they couldn’t get help but now we’ve got an entire state where you’ve got a cluster of 60-plus people across the entire state.
“There were businesses, at least half a dozen I know of that were out of pocket $800,000, $900,000.”
Mr Falinski said he asked at the time for payments that mirrored the federal government’s disaster recovery payment, which offers people affected by fires or floods a one-off, non-means tested payment of $1000 per eligible adult and $400 per child.
“That’d be a great program but why is it the northern beaches had to go through that process and a lot of good people who did absolutely nothing wrong kept their people because it was a rolling lockdown, rather than a ‘look we’re locking down for three weeks?’” he said.
Ben Packham10.47am:Over 35,000 Australians stranded overseas
More than 35,000 Australians remain stuck overseas including 4260 classified as vulnerable.
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade officials told Senate estimates on Thursday that 10,995 Australians wanted to get out of India, which is battling surging Covid-19 infections.
They include 1024 Australians classified as vulnerable, 209 of whom are minors without parents.
Officials said five Australian children who were in India without their parents were returned to Australia in the last week, and 70 had made it back home since October.
READ MORE: New revelations on stranded Aussies
Rachel Baxendale9.59am:‘Decision imminent’: Avalon set to get quarantine nod
Treasurer Josh Frydenberg has all but confirmed that the Avalon airport is the federal government’s preferred site for a Victorian quarantine alternative to hotels.
An announcement could be made as soon as Friday, with Mr Frydenberg telling 3AW’s Neil Mitchell a “decision is imminent”.
The Andrews government had proposed an alternative site on commonwealth land at Mickleham, on Melbourne’s northwest outskirts not far from Melbourne Airport, but had also supported Avalon – between Melbourne and Geelong – as a second preference.
The Avalon proposal had prompted much commentary regarding Premier Daniel Andrews’s relationship with owners the Fox family, who have long been well-connected with both sides of politics at a state and federal level.
Asked by Mitchell on Thursday morning whether it would be “fair to say Avalon is odds-on now”, Mr Frydenberg said: “Avalon does have some very positive characteristics to it, obviously being near an airport.”
READ MORE: You’re moving too slowly on quarantine, PM told
Paige Taylor9.35am:Voice ‘the final step’ of Mabo ruling
An Indigenous voice is the final part of the unfinished political settlement that followed the landmark Mabo High Court decision in 1992, says one of the country’s most respected constitutional law scholars.
Megan Davis, the Balnaves Chair in constitutional law at the University of NSW and a prominent Indigenous leader, says the Native Title Act was never meant to be the only part of the political response to the historic decision.
The unfinished nature of the response had left many Indigenous families and communities divided and fatigued, Professor Davis will say in the Mabo Oration in Adelaide on Thursday.
Sophie Elsworth9.11am:Lib calls for ABC’s Ita Buttrose ‘to go’
Former Victorian Liberal Party president and ABC board member Michael Kroger has lashed out at the public broadcaster’s chair Ita Buttrose, describing her as “a hopeless failure” and called on her to resign immediately.
Mr Kroger didn’t hold back in slamming Ms Buttrose who he said was allowing the ABC to push an anti-Liberal agenda.
Appearing on Sky News on Wednesday night with host Chris Kenny, Mr Kroger said Ms Buttrose had done a terrible job in reining in the ongoing bias against conservative politicians including members of the Morrison government.
He said many of the public broadcaster’s programs were shockingly one-sided including weekly news and current affairs chat feast Q+A which he described as “political acid”.
Joseph Lam8.22am:Temporary, targeted support coming for Victoria: Frydenberg
Josh Frydenberg says the federal government will “stick to its principles” as it prepares to roll out support to Victorians who have been unable to work amid the state’s fourth lockdown.
The federal Treasurer confirmed he and Victoria Treasurer Tim Pallas met overnight to discuss the support, which Mr Frydenberg says will arrive within days.
“So, we’ll stick to the principles that have guided us to date with our economic support packages, namely that it will be temporary, that it will be targeted, that they will be measured and that they’ll be using existing systems,” Mr Frydenberg announced on ABC on Thursday.
Mr Frydenberg said he sympathised with Victorians who have spent 140 days under lockdown, particularly those from the state’s regions, which he said have unfortunately been subject to the same restrictions as more populous areas despite recording fewer cases.
READ MORE: State must go halves on bailout
Joseph Lam7.51am:Considering our options for Victoria support: Frydenberg
Josh Frydenberg says the federal government is “considering” rolling out support for Victorians as the state prepares to lockdown for a further seven days.
The federal Treasurer on Thursday shot down talk of bringing back the initial JobKeeper payment but hinted at a different supplement for those affected by the lockdown.
“Well, we’re not bringing back JobKeeper, we have no plans to do so,” he said on Sky News.
“But the pandemic is not over and the support from the Morrison government is not over either.”
Mr Frydenberg said he would not pre-empt the support which is expected to be announced over the next few days.
“We’ll have more to say in due course.”
In an exclusive report in The Australian on Thursday, Mr Frydenberg said any assistance would likely be conditional on being matched by the state government.
“What we need to think about, obviously given the pandemic is still with us, is how we approach this on a national basis,” Mr Frydenberg said. “It is not about Victoria, or individual cases … it is about on a national basis and we will stick to our principles, namely, our approaches will continue to be national, sustainable (and) where support is offered, it is through existing systems.”
READ MORE:State must go halves on bailout
Nicola Berkovic7.44am:ABC boss’s personal apology to Porter
ABC managing director David Anderson offered a face-to-face apology to Christian Porter for a series of social media posts by two of his senior journalists in the aftermath of the defamation matter involving the public broadcaster and the former attorney-general.
Formal mediation between Mr Porter and the ABC had only just concluded on Monday when Mr Anderson approached the Industry Minister to express his disappointment that the tweets by Four Corners reporter Louise Milligan and the show’s executive producer, Sally Neighbour, had tarnished what was achieved at the legal discussions earlier in the day, and had undone the goodwill between them.
Tim Dodd7.35am:Unis must focus on in-person learning
Federal Education Minister Alan Tudge will call on university leaders to bring back the normal university experience for Australian students and quickly return to face-to-face learning where Covid rules allow.
In a speech on Thursday to the annual Universities Australia conference in Canberra – the first such gathering since the pandemic hit – Mr Tudge will tell university leaders that too few students are on campus.
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