Quit carrot for casuals

CASUAL workers on the $1500 JobKeeper subsidy could be in line for a better payday on unemployment benefits from October, a Lara business owner says.

The Pets Hotel Country Club owner Yvonne Hill, whose facility has 100 kennels, said casual staff working fewer than 20 hours a week in February and still on JobKeeper in October would have their payments slashed to $750 a fortnight.

But come October, the unemployment benefit with the added coronavirus supplement would total $810 a fortnight, the federal government announced this week.

Ms Hill said her four casual workers on JobKeeper would have payments slashed from $1500 to $750 a fortnight in October because the government used February to determine those eligible for the subsidy.

“For a tourism (related) industry, they couldn’t have picked a worse month,” she said.

Ms Hill, whose business is reliant on interstate and international travel, said if the government picked January, peak tourism time, her workers would be better supported.

“If they resign, the JobSeeker funding will be more than the JobKeeper,” she said.

“So they are more likely to say, ‘I’m going to resign because I can get more money on JobSeeker’.”

In some circumstances, workers, including some single parents, can receive the lower JobKeeper payment and some JobSeeker if they do not earn above the $1256 a fortnight JobSeeker cut off.

From September 28, the fortnightly JobKeeper payment will drop from $1500 to $1200, and continue until January 3.

Those who worked fewer than 20 hours a week in February will be eligible for $750 between October and January.

Between January and March, the full rate will drop to $1000 a fortnight and $650 for those who work fewer hours. Overall the changes will cost more than $20bn.

“There will be some who will be on the lower payment but also accessing JobSeeker,” Treasurer Josh Frydenberg said.

“These people will continue to be in work but also receiving the (coronavirus) supplement.”

Corangamite MP Libby Coker called for stimulus for the tourism sector due to dwindling visitor numbers to Victoria.

“Many businesses along the Great Ocean Road rely on international tourists,” Ms Coker said.

“Without an industry-specific package, the tourism sector will struggle to get by beyond the end of JobKeeper.”

Victorian Senator Sarah Henderson said: “This continued support for Australians who are without work, and for businesses and their workers will help regional Victoria to not only get through this crisis, but recover on the other side.”