House debates
Thursday, 11 June 2020
Questions without Notice
JobKeeper Payment
2:06 pm
Justine Elliot (Richmond, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
My question is to the Prime Minister. Prime Minister, the government has been all over the place on how long workers who rely on JobKeeper have guaranteed support or whether they'll be left behind. Why won't the Prime Minister give a straight answer to this simple question: will more Australian workers be kicked off JobKeeper early or not?
Scott Morrison (Cook, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
The only people talking out of both sides of their mouths when it comes to the issue of the COVID response are the Labor Party. They oppose the very measures they support. Each way, on every issue, that has been the response of the Labor Party—feigning so much support for the government's response but taking every single opportunity to niggle and undermine for their own base political purposes.
Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
The members on my left. The member for Lalor.
Scott Morrison (Cook, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
It is disappointing that that is the approach that the Labor Party has sought to take during this crisis.
Mr Khalil interjecting—
Scott Morrison (Cook, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
But I am pleased that there are better examples, and that has been exhibited by my colleagues who sit around the national cabinet table—the Labor and Liberal premiers who sit around that table and make these decisions. I have made it abundantly clear that JobKeeper is in place for the legislated period that we've put it in place, which is until the end of September. And that is what we are doing. We have been saying that consistently. But those opposite have sought to sow confusion and to undermine these positions.
Opposition members interjecting—
The interjection comes about child care. I explained the matter very clearly yesterday. We put in place a better support for workers—
Ms Rishworth interjecting—
Scott Morrison (Cook, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
over $700 million in direct subsidy support to the childcare sector to support those jobs, on top of the rebate which extends to a 95 per cent rebate for childcare fees for persons who are on the JobKeeper payment. So Australians know that they are getting the leadership from this government when it comes to the economic policies and lifeline they need to move through this crisis. As we've seen from the OECD, that has been recognised. It is recognised across this country, it is recognised internationally, but because of the political motives of the Labor Party they just don't want to see it.