Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Employment, Skills, Small and Family Business) Share this | Hansard source

I thank the senator for her question. This relates to exactly why the parliament is here today legislating the government's historic $130 billion package to ensure that an estimated six million workers are connected with their employers throughout the COVID-19 crisis.

In relation to the senator's question: because the government had to draw a line somewhere. A package of $130 billion covering almost six million workers will be passed by the parliament today. This is an incredible package. It has been carefully designed. As you know, it applies to full-time workers and part-time workers and, as the Minister for Industrial Relations and the Minister for Finance have acknowledged, the definition of 'casual' that has been adopted for the purposes of this legislation has been taken from the Fair Work Act: casuals who have been in employment with their employer for a period of longer than 12 months.

But this does not mean that the employee categories that the senator referred to are not recognised by the government. They are. They will be, in some circumstances, able to apply for the jobseeker allowance. This is, of course, with the additional supplement that has been provided by the government in relation to COVID-19. This is a historic package that will pass the parliament today. It applies to in excess of six million Australian workers. It is a generous package. But, ultimately, as the Prime Minister, the Minister for Industrial Relations, the Treasurer and the Minister for— (Time expired)