Mathias Cormann (WA, Liberal Party, Vice-President of the Executive Council) Share this | Hansard source

Let me first, of course, recognise these are devastating figures; they're not entirely unanticipated, but they are devastating. That is, of course, why the government has put very significant support measures in place to keep as many Australians connected to their employer as possible during this period, and about six million Australians are now benefitting from the support provided through JobKeeper, and indeed 1.6 million Australians are receiving enhanced support through the enhanced jobseeker arrangements.

As a result of the measures that we have taken, while these numbers are devastating—of course they are—the Australian position, the position for working families around Australia, is much better than it is in many other parts of the world, where the health effect has been more devastating and where the economic impact of the coronavirus has been more devastating. I know that that is cold comfort to those who are facing difficulties through this period. We absolutely understand that. But we are doing the best we can, and the JobKeeper program has been designed in a very, very generous way in order to support six million Australians who are now taking advantage of the opportunities through that program.