Susan Templeman (Macquarie, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

If you have a go, you get a go, according to the glib Morrison government lines, but not if you're a 16-year-old apprentice and you've lost your income because of the Sydney COVID lockdown. That lockdown has happened because of this government's failure on two jobs: to get purpose-built quarantine facilities and have an effective vaccine rollout. Were it not for that, Travis, Liam and Joshua, who live in the Hawkesbury, would all still be working, but they have paid the price. As 16-year-old first-year apprentices, they found they weren't eligible for the COVID disaster payment. They were shocked that they'd miss out, their families were shocked that they'd miss out, and their bosses were shocked that they'd miss out. Why would they? They work and learn full time. Like other workers, they have financial commitments. They might seem like kids to those opposite, but they make financial contributions to their families. Like any other worker, they have their own financial commitments. Travis's mum, Janette, who lives in South Windsor, tells me Travis is really proud to be able to pay rent and pay for his phone, and he's still doing that, in spite of the lack of government support. As Josh's dad, Mark, says, 'It's wrong that these young workers are discriminated against simply because of their age.' It's bad enough that they can't go to work, have their routine and keep contributing because of this government's failures, but it's even worse that they're abandoned by the Prime Minister at the one time that they need support.