House debates

Monday, 22 March 2021

Statements by Members

JobKeeper Payment

1:33 pm

Photo of Josh BurnsJosh Burns (Macnamara, Australian Labor Party) Share this | | Hansard source

JobKeeper ends this Sunday. It's six days until Australian businesses and workers are left behind by this government. Some industries and businesses have recovered, and that is a good thing, but there are many who have not—like the travel agents, independent cinemas and industries reliant on international tourism—as a direct result of the policies of the federal government. Botched announcements to drive a bit of interstate travel in the off-peak season aren't going to make up for the loss of international visitors. Getting people to book flights on the Qantas and Virgin websites isn't going to save travel agents. These are Australian working families. They are jobs. They are livelihoods. They are at risk of falling off a cliff without support.

This government has supported businesses—with reduced amounts, I will say, up until this Sunday. But this pandemic is still going, so why do three-quarters of the job? Why support businesses some of the way and then let them wither just as we get to the final furlong of this pandemic? We need to be supporting businesses. We need to be supporting working families. We can't push them off the cliff. If JobKeeper can be used for executive bonuses and dividends then surely it can be used to support small businesses in my electorate of Macnamara.

1:34 pm

Photo of Anne WebsterAnne Webster (Mallee, National Party) Share this | | Hansard source

When I'm home from Canberra in my great electorate of Mallee, I love to support our local cafes. This weekend in Mildura, I had breakfast at the fabulous Brass Monkey—a great example of a small family business, owned by Kristy and Adam, hit hard during COVID lockdowns and supported by the federal government through JobKeeper. I spoke with Kristy, who owns the business with her husband, Adam. She told me about the challenges the business has faced throughout the pandemic. She said that JobKeeper was fantastic and that it had helped them keep afloat over a very difficult year. Kristy and Adam have since pivoted their business to cafe style at a new location. Kristy told me this has meant a welcome change in lifestyle. They are happy to move away from the late-night hours to a more manageable breakfast and lunch schedule. Kristy's thrilled because it means more time together with her husband and an improved work-life balance. The pandemic has called on business owners to be flexible and adapt to the new environment we find ourselves in, and JobKeeper payments provided this young enterprising couple with the confidence they needed to take a chance on their business. I wish Kristy and Adam all the best with their new endeavour, which I'm sure will be a hotspot for months and years to come.