THE Victorian Chamber welcomes today’s announcement that the Federal Government will provide a one-off disaster payment for vulnerable workers who have been stood down from their jobs or lost casual shifts as a result of the lockdown in Victoria.
We have been advocating for a wage subsidy type payment for workers to supplement their lost income since Victoria’s fourth lockdown was announced.
The Australian Government Disaster Recovery Payment of $500 for people who normally work more than 20 hours a week and $325 a week for people who normally do less than 20 hours will only be available for people who are unable to support themselves.
The minimum wage in Australia is $753.80 per week so while this won’t cover lost wages for most workers, it will go some way to supplement lost income to help pay the bills.
This is in addition to the more than $460M provided by the State Government as part of the business support package for this lockdown.
Victorian Chamber of Commerce and Industry chief executive, Paul Guerra, “This news is timely as reports of employers standing down staff without pay in Victoria emerge as Lockdown Four drags on. For so many, this will put food on the table during the business and worker emergency that is gripping Victoria. It is a welcome support from the Federal Government for Victorian workers.
“The Victorian Chamber has been advocating for the need for a wage subsidy for workers who have lost income since Lockdown Four was announced and we are pleased that the Federal Government has put forward this much-needed support for vulnerable workers and their families.
“While the support for workers and their families is welcome, we are concerned that in some cases these payments won’t keep workers connected to their job. We encourage businesses and workers to come together and stay connected. We don’t want to see additional costs for businesses to rehire and train staff when restrictions are lifted, as we know this is already a challenging time for business.”
