JIM CHALMERS MP
SHADOW TREASURER
MEMBER FOR RANKIN
 
 

E&OE TRANSCRIPT
RADIO INTERVIEW
ABC GOULBURN-MURRAY 
THURSDAY, 25 FEBRUARY 2021
 
SUBJECT: Coalition’s cuts to JobKeeper risk 18,479 workers and 6,003 businesses in the Goulburn-Murray region.
 
SANDRA MOON, HOST: We were speaking yesterday about this so-called ‘rebasing’ - another new term for us to get our heads around - of the JobSeeker payment, but now JobKeeper is in the spotlight as well. It’s due to near its end at the end of next month, in fact the end of March. And we did speak on this programme with some musicians, you know that there was an open letter that musicians had sent, asking for JobKeeper to be extended beyond March. And the live music industry, including lots of different venues and musicians that you would have known, signed that as well. But it is set to be cut by the 28th of March. And so new figures suggest that 6,003 businesses and 18,479 workers across our local electorates of Nicholls, Indi and Farrer will lose access to this JobKeeper scheme. Now the federal Shadow Treasurer, Jim Chalmers, is with you now. Good morning.
 
JIM CHALMERS, SHADOW TREASURER: Good morning, Sandra. Thanks for having me on the programme.
 
MOON: Well. thank you for coming on and having a chat with us. I mean, these figures are pretty substantial?
 
CHALMERS: They're massive figures. You think about those 6,000 businesses in the Murray-Goulburn region, almost 19,000 workers, who are facing a pretty uncertain future when the Morison Government cuts JobKeeper next month. You mentioned the arts and entertainment industry is obviously really concerned, the tourism sector as well. I've been following closely the work of Murray Regional Tourism. For example, they did a survey about the impact of COVID and the various restrictions, including the international border closures, on what's happening here. I think it's really clear that while some parts of the economy are recovering, many parts of the economy are still struggling. And that has implications for workers and small businesses in the Murray-Goulburn region and right throughout Australia. And so what we've said to the government is, don't be in such a rush to cut JobKeeper. There are so many thousands of workers in regional communities relying on this, and small businesses, so let’s tailor the economic support to the economic conditions and recognise that some parts of the economy aren't yet ready to move on from JobKeeper.
 
MOON: I noticed this morning, in some articles, already suggestions for even different styles of how JobKeeper could potentially continue on, things like a HECS-style government loan for businesses. Are those even options or does JobKeeper, as it stands, need to stay? 
 
CHALMERS: Obviously, we'd look constructively at any other proposals that people put forward. In speaking with various businesses and groups around Australia, we've been listening to some of those suggestions. But the overwhelming feedback that we get is that there's no substitute for JobKeeper. JobKeeper has been doing a good job maintaining a link between workers and their employers and supporting small businesses, particularly in communities like yours. And so there's no substitute for that. 
 
Now the government says that we don't have a blank cheque to continue JobKeeper or to continue to support workers and small businesses, but the budget is absolutely riddled with all kinds of rorts. And so what we would say is, we would be much better off, and communities would be better off if the government wasn't wasting money on taxpayer funded executive bonuses, or sports rorts, and all the rest of it. Instead, they could be directing money to genuinely help communities and workers and small businesses which genuinely need it, including in the Murray-Goulburn region. I've been in Far North Queensland and right around Australia talking to people about this. There is a case to extend JobKeeper. If the government wants to come forward with some other ideas, then let's hear them, and we'll be constructive about it. But most people are sceptical that whatever the government replaces JobKeeper with will be enough.
 
MOON: How long can it be extended though? The experience that we've had in the past, and obviously with JobSeeker as well,  how long can JobKeeper keep going?
 
CHALMERS: Well, first of all, we do need to recognise that the JobKeeper payment, nobody has ever suggested that it go on forever, that it's a permanent feature of the budget. We all recognise that. But we want the government to recognise that if it's important to support jobs and small businesses at one point in the recovery, it's important to tailor that economic support to what's actually going on in the economy. And they need to listen to Murray Regional Tourism. They need to listen to the other groups which are saying, hey we know that parts of the economy are coming back, that's a good thing, and we welcome that too, but we need to acknowledge that many people are still struggling. There is a case for a temporary extension of JobKeeper for those who are still doing it tough. That's not an unreasonable ask, for the government to act here.
 
MOON: And we know as well, we've seen some, some research, if you like, coming out from the Australian Tax Office that says that the number of workers on JobKeeper has been dropping in recent months. I mean, does that go part way to explaining the reasoning for wrapping this up at the end of March?
 
CHALMERS: Well, two things about that, Sandra. It's a really important point. First of all, obviously people are coming off JobKeeper as the economy recovers, as the Victorian economy in particular reopens. As we emerge from recession it is inevitable, and expected, and unsurprising that there'll be fewer people on JobKeeper, as we go through the recovery. That's a good thing. That's how the thing is designed. But the second point is to recognise there are still a million Australians relying on JobKeeper payments and the Treasury says that something like 100,000 of them are expected to lose their job when Morrison and Frydenberg cut JobKeeper next month. And so we need to realise that the government is in too much of a hurry to declare victory over this recession and its aftermath, while people are still struggling. We want them to acknowledge, whether it's in the Murray-Goulburn region or elsewhere around Australia, that people are still doing it tough. The government needs to recognise that. And support people and their jobs. So that our tourism sector, our arts and entertainment sector, and other important parts of our economy aren’t so hollowed out now that they can't bounce back when things improve.
 
MOON: Considering though, federal Shadow Treasurer, Jim Chalmers, that we know that after speaking about JobSeeker yesterday, there was a doubling down, if you like, by the federal government, saying no, there will not be a change to this, we are continuing with our rebasing of the payment. How likely is it that that we will see a move from the government in terms of JobKeeper?
 
CHALMERS: I’m a bit worried that they won't move on it, Sandra. I think they've more or less dug in on it and I think that's disappointing. If you think about those 6,003 businesses in your part of Australia, think about those 18,500 workers who are relying on it, they’re very anxious because the future is really uncertain. It’s not too much for us to ask the federal Liberal and National government in Canberra to recognise their plight, to support them - not permanently with JobKeeper - but until they can get back on their feet in sufficient numbers. That's all we're asking here, that's not unreasonable. It would be good if the government listened and acted. I’m worried that they won't. 
 
MOON: Jim Chalmers, thanks for your time.
 
CHALMERS: Thank you, Sandra, I appreciate it.
 
ENDS