Preliminary ABS retail data shows retail trade falling in every state as the Morrison Government prematurely cut JobKeeper and JobSeeker.
 
Ripping support out of the economy in the middle of the worst recession in almost 100 years will only make the downturn deeper, the jobless queues longer, and force more business to close. 
 
The reduction in retail trade was broad-based with every state and territory except the Northern Territory recording falls.
 
If only we had a Treasurer who spent as much time coming up with a comprehensive plan to support jobs, businesses and communities as he does brawling with the Victorian Government.
 
ABS retail trade fell for the second consecutive month, falling a further 1.5 per cent from August to September with declines in food retailing, household goods retailing, and other retailing turnover.
 
Decisions taken by the Liberals and Nationals mean that the Morrison Recession will be deeper than necessary and the unemployment queues longer than they need to be.
 
The Prime Minister has been slow to act during this crisis, and his Government’s deliberate decisions to exclude Australians from support and cut JobKeeper and JobSeeker prematurely mean the only lasting legacies of this crisis could be higher unemployment for longer and a trillion dollars of debt.
 
WEDNESDAY, 21 OCTOBER 2020