Labor has crunched JobKeeper numbers data from Treasury and the Australian Taxation Office

The federal opposition has called for an extension of JobKeeper for workers and businesses in genuine need, highlighting the thousands of Tasmanians still claiming the payment. LATEST >>

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THE federal opposition has called for an extension of JobKeeper for workers and businesses in genuine need, highlighting the thousands of Tasmanians still claiming the payment.

As the federal government releases JobKeeper data retrospectively, Labor has crunched its own numbers using the latest data from Treasury and the Australian Taxation Office.

In addition to evidence provided by Treasury during a recent Senate committee hearing, Labor estimates there are 13,942 Tasmanians on JobKeeper and 4530 businesses, with at least 100,000 people on the payment nationally.

Labor estimates this amounts to $6.5m a week flowing into the Tasmanian economy.

By electorate, Labor’s analysis estimates there are 3873 workers and 1258 businesses receiving the payment in Clark, 2926 workers and 951 businesses in Franklin, 2669 workers and 867 businesses in Lyons, 2566 workers and 834 businesses in Bass and 1908 workers and 620 businesses in Braddon.

A fortnight ago during a visit to Hobart, Treasurer Josh Frydenberg said preliminary tax office data showed there were 12,840 Tasmanian workers and 4144 Tasmanian businesses accessing JobKeeper in January.

Mr Frydenberg said the figures represented an 80 per cent reduction in Tasmania’s reliance on JobKeeper – evidence the state’s economy was recovering well from the COVID-19 downturn.

Federal Shadow Treasurer Jim Chalmers has backed Tasmania’s need to extend JobKeeper. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Dan Peled

However Shadow Treasurer Jim Chalmers said the Morrison Government was rolling out vaccines too slowly, and pulling JobKeeper support too quickly.

“Both of those things will have consequences for Tasmanian jobs,” Dr Chalmers said.

“Getting either the vaccine rollout or economic response wrong is damaging, but getting both wrong simultaneously, could be devastating for Tasmania’s recovery.

“What I heard loud and clear from workers and small businesses during my recent visit to Hobart and Launceston last week, is that while any extra support is welcome, there’s no substitute for a responsible, temporary and targeted extension of JobKeeper.

Labor is calling for JobKeeper to be extended for workers and businesses still in genuine need.

“Nobody is saying that JobKeeper should go on forever, but it should be tailored and targeted to what’s actually going on in communities like Hobart and Launceston,” Dr Chalmers said.

Builders express concern with grant time frames

Sue Bailey

March 14, 2021

A HOBART builder swamped with inquiries from new home builders fears unless the HomeBuilder start date is extended to nine months many will miss out on the grant.

Nathan Taylor, of Taylor and Beeson Building at Howrah, is so worried he has written to Premier Peter Gutwein asking him to consider the time restrictions that apply to the grant.

“The state and federal governments have done an excellent job, the grants are wonderful and I thank the Premier for all he has done for the building industry, especially during the COVID pandemic,” Mr Taylor said.

“We just need some discretion and flexibility or people will miss out.

“It is becoming almost impossible for us to achieve all required statutory and regulatory approvals and start jobs within the time frame conditions set in order for our clients to qualify and receive the grant.

“Everyone, including councils, designers and engineers, are all doing an amazing job under pressure from the increased demand.

“But the six-month deadline is not practical or achievable for small building business owners.”

Co-directors of Taylor and Beeson Building Lewis Beeson, left, and Nathan Taylor at a building site in Howrah. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

The Tasmanian government extended its $20,000 HomeBuilder Grant by three months until March 31 but to qualify, work must commence within six months of the contract being signed.

Figures from the Master Builders Association show 2636 Tasmanians had applied for the grant by February 26, with 84 per cent for new homes.

Mr Taylor said he has 10 projects that have been put on the backburner so he can concentrate on the time frame conditions for HomeBuilder clients.

“We realise the grant is a huge chance for people to be able to afford to enter a difficult property market,” he said.

“We are trying our absolute hardest to achieve the requirements, with 90 per cent of our clients being first homeowners.

“We have to tell some of our clients that in reality we may be unable to meet the deadlines for them to get the grant.”

Master Builders Association Tasmania executive director Matthew Pollock says the HomeBuilder grant scheme has been an “amazing success”. Picture: Zak Simmonds

Mr Taylor said approvals for new homes usually took up to nine months before a start date could be confirmed.

“There simply are not enough people in the workforce to satisfy the time frames,” he said.

Tasmanian builders are also now facing an added pressure with a limited supply of trench mesh reinforcement, which is used when pouring the concrete footings.

Master Builders Association Tasmania executive director Matthew Pollock said anecdotally he was aware of concerns about the six-month time frame for the HomeBuilder grant.

“Three months was entirely unworkable and six months is challenging,” Mr Pollock said.

Mr Pollock is adamant that HomeBuilder has been an “amazing success”.

“No one expected it to be received so enthusiastically,” he said.

“It has been the centrepiece of the COVID recovery and has been working very well.”

State Growth Minister Michael Ferguson said Mr Gutwein had written to the Federal Minister for Housing about the supply chain issues facing builders, and seeking flexibility for the program to cater for these circumstances.

“These grants are a massive boost to the building and construction sector, supporting local jobs and the economy,” he said.