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

Of course our No. 1 priority, as a government, is to protect the health of Australians, to protect their jobs and to protect their livelihoods. We've put in place, and delivered, the policies that are supporting this. For example, in addition to the $70 billion JobKeeper payments to date, our Supporting Apprentices and Trainees wage subsidy has now delivered over $723 million to keep more than 103,000 apprentices and trainees in training, and that's where we need them. We need them training on the job, and that is what we are doing.

We also have the cash flow boost. That has delivered over $32 billion to more than 800,000 employing small and medium businesses, giving them that vital cash flow when they need it most. The Coronavirus SME Guarantee Scheme has now delivered more than 21,000 underwritten loans to small and medium businesses. We are putting in place the policies to keep businesses in business and Australians in jobs. (Time expired)