Scott Morrison (Cook, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Hansard source

The government has committed to and already provided unprecedented, record support to ensure that we keep as many Australians in jobs as possible, keep as many businesses open as possible and ensure that, as we go through this terrible crisis, we are training more Australians, particularly in the skills areas, with the JobTrainer program, a billion dollar partnership with the states and territories, pulled together in a matter of weeks, that will see 340,000 additional training places available not just to young Australians but to Australians who have found themselves working in some sectors that they know, because of the COVID-19 pandemic, will be under great strain for some period. That's why those who are working in the aviation industry as flight attendants are now training to be aged-care workers. As we speak, people are changing sectors, changing industries, getting trained, adjusting for the COVID-19 pandemic, so that they can get the best support of all, and that is the support that comes directly from their own efforts, their own initiative and their own enterprise. That is what our plan is based on.

Our plan for the economy, which we're putting in place—whether it's ensuring our workplaces are cooperative and flexible, ensuring that the infrastructure program enables $10 billion to be brought forward, or ensuring that our manufacturing industries have access to the affordable, reliable energy they need, as we've seen wholesale prices on gas and other things fall, all of these plans are based on the enterprise and the efforts and the initiative of Australians. And those Australians are looking forward to an economy that doesn't require JobKeeper and other income supports to sustain it. That's why JobKeeper will be necessary now, but in the future it is not our plan for it to be required. And that is why the Leader of the Opposition and the shadow Treasurer and others made the point—

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