Bridget McKenzie (Victoria, National Party) Share this | Hansard source

Our government has provided a raft of support to regional communities through the COVID-19 pandemic. That's why we're delivering highly targeted financial assistance through the COVID disaster payment to workers who live or work in a Commonwealth declared hotspot. It's specifically tailored to workers impacted by those lockdowns, and Services Australia has already processed more than 1.8 million COVID disaster payment claims, paying out more than $2 billion to workers to date. We will not stop standing with individuals, as they feel, in a very individual way, the impact of those lockdowns, when they're doing the right thing and staying home and stopping the spread. In addition to this, the pandemic leave disaster payment supports those who have been directed by a state official to isolate for more than 14 days. We've also ensured that staff at meatworks have been identified as being in a high-priority job role in the first two phases of the vaccine rollout, so that we can actually support our agricultural industries.