Don Farrell (SA, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Special Minister of State) Share this | Hansard source

I rise to speak on this amendment. My comments about this amendment will also apply to all of the remaining amendments by the Greens party. Labor has called for the government to expand support for those workers who need it and to ensure that economic support is tailored to the conditions in the economy, including rising unemployment. However, we will not be supporting this amendment, which would not be supported by the other House, as it would increase the appropriation. The government should not have excluded millions of workers from JobKeeper while overpaying some workers. Yet the government has the extraordinary power to set the rates and include those workers they have deliberately excluded from the JobKeeper payment.

The important test of the Morrison government's management of this recession and its aftermath is what happens to jobs and the businesses which create them. Workers, businesses and communities need and deserve a plan from the Morrison government to promote growth, protect and create jobs, support business and set Australia up for the recovery. We can't afford to see more Australians left out and left behind because the Prime Minister and the Treasurer are not prepared to respond to developments in the labour market or to come up with a proper plan for jobs.

The CHAIR: Senator Faruqi, I am wondering if you are interested in moving the rest of those amendments on sheet 1009?