Anthony Albanese has bowed to pressure to hold an emergency national cabinet meeting on Monday as Covid cases spike over winter. Get the details here 👉
News.com.au has confirmed that the Prime Minister has told state premiers he will reconvene the meeting on Monday morning.
Asked about the decision to halt the $750 pandemic leave payments for casuals without sick leave, the Queensland Premier pointedly said this was a matter for the Albanese government.Calls to continue $750 pandemic payments Aged Care Minister Anika Wells claimed on Thursday that current medical advice indicates funding should be funnelled into vaccinations and antiviral treatments.
But just hours later, when Health Minister Mark Butler was asked directly if he had received any advice from the Chief Medical Officer on Pandemic Leave Disaster Payment, his replied “No”Mr Butler said “at some point we need to recognise that it is not the financial capacity to continue emergency payments forever.”
“Or are they just not doing the work?.”As cases skyrocket over winter, the Albanese Government has axed the $750 payment in line with the previous government’s plan to phase it out.”
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