RICHARD MARLES MP
DEPUTY LEADER OF THE AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY
SHADOW MINISTER FOR NATIONAL RECONSTRUCTION, EMPLOYMENT, SKILLS AND SMALL BUSINESS
SHADOW MINISTER FOR SCIENCE
MEMBER FOR CORIO
 
JIM CHALMERS MP
SHADOW TREASURER
MEMBER FOR RANKIN
 
MATT KEOGH MP
SHADOW MINISTER FOR DEFENCE INDUSTRY
SHADOW MINISTER ASSISTING FOR SMALL BUSINESS
MEMBER FOR BURT
 

MORRISON-JOYCE GOVERNMENT WALKS AWAY FROM BUSINESS AT HEIGHT OF PANDEMIC

 
The Morrison-Joyce Government has announced they plan on leaving hundreds of thousands of businesses high and dry, following their announcement today to withdraw support to those in locked-down states. 
 
Once again, tying the end of critical support to the vaccine targets proves how tone deaf this Government is to the cries of small business. 
 
Nobody expects this support to go on forever but let’s not forget – these are Scott Morrison’s lockdowns. 
 
The National Plan confirms some restrictions which will impact the economy will remain in place, even when these various vaccine targets are reached, it won’t be business as usual for many businesses and workers for some time yet.
 
Australians can’t afford for Scott Morrison and Josh Frydenberg to make the same mistake twice by cutting help too quickly. 
 
Labor has said all along that support should be tailored to the economic conditions.
 
Instead of picking fights with the states and punishing Australian businesses for his own mistakes, Scott Morrison should be providing a plan. 
 
Labor has been calling on the Federal Government to provide a nationwide plan for business, with many across the country impacted by lockdowns, and thousands of others impacted by restrictions that have buckled sectors like tourism and hospitality. 
 
Today’s announcement follows yesterday’s confirmation that the COVID Disaster Payment will also be removed on the same timelines, only heightening the anxiety many small business owners, and self-employed business owners have about how they keep their doors open without support.
 
Of those self-employed businesses owners, according to the ABS, in August this year, there were 139,000 'owner managers of unincorporated enterprises' which were on zero hours, and could have been accessing the COVID Disaster payment.
 
It was only earlier this month the RBA Governor said that many small businesses “’are in wait, survive and see’ mode, having experienced a large drop in revenue.” 
 
Despite their big announcements it’s always the same with the Morrison-Joyce Government – help that is too little, too late, and torn away too soon.
 
Today small business is watching Scott Morrison walk away from them. 
 
THURSDAY, 30 SEPTEMBER 2021