Скачать или смотреть Treasurer pushed to increase lockdown support payments

Treasurer Josh Frydenberg is being pushed to increase the federal government’s welfare support measures for those who are still struggling under lockdown conditions.

Shadow Treasurer Jim Chalmers has said it was “madness” to taper off JobKeeper before the vaccines were rolled out, but the government has argued their new system is more targeted.

Mr Frydenberg pointed out more than 700,000 support payments have gone out, totalling roughly $350 million, but said the government’s “policies are never set and forget”.

“One thing that COVID has taught us is you never know what’s around the corner and you have to be flexible, and you have to be able to respond to the changing set of circumstances,” he said.

“So we continue to assess all our payments, both business and income support.”