Mehreen Faruqi (NSW, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

The Greens do agree in principle with what this amendment is trying to achieve. The Greens first raised concerns about this in April, during a COVID-19 committee hearing, when Senator Whish-Wilson asked Treasury secretary Steven Kennedy whether the JobKeeper review would consider changing the eligibility criteria for businesses recording profits and paying increased dividends. Disappointingly, it was not considered in that review. Senator Whish-Wilson also wrote to Secretary Kennedy last month proposing that eligibility criteria be changed for companies paying dividends. Unfortunately the government has not acted to address this loophole.

And I'm afraid the amendment was circulated only a little while ago. The Greens really have not had enough time to review fully the amendment and its consequences, and from the short time we have had to look at it we are concerned that, under section 9 of the enabling payments and benefits legislation, workers of these companies would be liable to repay the amount. I don't think that's what Senator Patrick has intended, but that is how it appears at face value. So, we are concerned that there may be other unintended consequences. The Greens definitely support the principle of what Senator Patrick is trying to achieve, but unfortunately the Greens can't support this amendment at this time, and we hope we get another opportunity to address this important issue.