PM’S $130B RESCUE FOR GC STAFF

TENS of thousands of Gold Coast workers and operators have been given a lifeline with the Federal Government yesterday guaranteeing eligible staff $750 a week to help them through the coronavirus outbreak.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison unveiled the unprecedented $130 billion measure – dubbed Jobkeeper payments – for full and part-time staff. It will also apply to casuals who have been with their employer for 12 months.

Employers will receive the money from May 1, though it will be backdated to yesterday.

Businesses will be able to apply if their turnover has fallen by at least 30 per cent as a result of the crisis. It is expected to help six million workers.

The Gold Coast has been severely hit as the small business capital of Australia, with about 91,000 workers on parttime or casual shifts.

Theme park giant Village Roadshow’s CEO Clark Kirby, who stood down 5000 staff on paid leave, said: “I will have the best night’s sleep tonight in a long time because I know so many of my key people will be in a much better position – and they will sleep well themselves.”

THRILLED Gold Coast operators say huge new $1500-afortnight payments for staff let go due to the coronavirus slump will enable them to keep their teams together and it will be a lifeline for employees.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison yesterday unveiled the unprecedented new measure – dubbed Jobkeeper payments – for full and part-time staff.

It will also apply to casuals who have been with their employer for 12 months.

The $750 a week will be paid as a flat rate to workers (whether they were earning more or less than that prior), with Federal Government paying the money to employers to in turn pay to staff to keep them on the books.

Employers will receive the money from May 1, though it will be backdated to yesterday.

It is estimated the whopping $130 billion economic injection will go to six million eligible Australians. Businesses will be able to apply if turnover has fallen by at least 30 per cent as a result of the crisis.

Village Roadshow CEO Clark Kirby, who a week ago had to make the devastating decision to stand down 5000 staff and close all theme parks, said the “fantastic initiative” would apply to thousands of Village staff and showed real leadership.

“I will have the best night’s sleep tonight in a long time because I know so many of my key people will be in a much better position – and they will sleep well themselves.”

Mr Kirby said Village had already registered all its busiEXPERTS nesses for Jobkeeper as requested: “For our leadership team it has now become our number one priority.

“Our team members are our family. This will give us an incredible opportunity to keep our family together and retain the unique skillsets we will need to reopen on the other side of this.”

Broadbeach’s Mamasan Kitchen & Bar owner JP Duitsch said one of his main concerns was starting from scratch with no staff on the other side and this would avoid that.

Mamasan had let go of 24 of 37 staff and was rotating those left doing takeaways “which is not setting the world on fire”.

“My team is vital to my business. Without those guys I don’t have a restaurant.

“If I was going to have to come out the other end and look for new staff, train them and do whole new menus that’s a four-six week process.”

Mr Duitsch said he hoped all staff he could keep on would be able to get shifts with the takeaway operation to keep them occupied: “It will be good for everyone’s mental health. Sitting at home and getting $750 a week is great but if you have a job to go to and are still getting $750 a week it helps maintain normality.”

Mr Morrison described the move as “unprecedented”.

“We want to keep the engine of the economy running in this crisis,” he said. “It may run on idle through this time but it must continue to run.”

The Australian lifeline is more generous than New Zealand’s plan and runs for six months – not the three months planned in the UK.

“Now is the time to deep,’’ Mr Morrison said.

“We are living in unprecedented times – with the twin battles that we face and that we fight against – a virus and against the economic ruin that it can threaten.”

Moo Moo The Wine Bar + Grill owner Steven Adams who closed after a fire sale of $20,000 worth of prime steaks said: “It does give us more confidence we can retain people. We are in constant contact with the team and not one of has indicated they want to look elsewhere.

“The Government has done something very strong which is very encouraging. The size of the package is astounding.”

The Government wants to take pressure off Centrelink staff working around the clock but also wants to remove the shame many will feel about joining the welfare system.

Australian shares increased seven per cent after the announcement and by 4pm yesterday 8000 business had registered for the payment.

The $1500-a-fortnight is also open to those still working and at risk of losing jobs. It means firms can top up payments and pay staff more on top of the $1500.

Mr Morrison also announced much-called for reforms to the income test for people on the JobSeeker payment, allowing partners to earn almost double, $80,000 a year, before they were ineligible for the payment.

The Government last week increased the JobSeeker payment, previously called Newstart, to $1100 a fortnight.

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