Labor says it has ‘no money’ to continue pandemic leave payments as state leaders and some of its own backbenchers urge rethink
in coming weeks, even as Labor has defended its decision to stick with the former Coalition government’s timeline to phase out the pandemic leave payment and free rapid tests for concession card holders.
National cabinet will meet via teleconference on Monday morning, Albanese’s office confirmed on Thursday evening. It is expected the meeting will discuss the national Covid response and how state and federal governments will prepare for the coming months. “All we want is an update from the chief health officer,” the premier told Channel Nine’s Today show, claiming there had been “mixed messages” on the Covid forecasts.
The Tasmanian premier, Jeremy Rockliff, had written to Albanese to voice his concern about the pandemic leave and free RATs decision. He said it was “not the right time” to make those changes.Several Labor MPs, including Dr Mike Freelander and Dr Michelle Ananda-Rajah, had also“If we are expecting people to isolate, then really for casual workers and contractors we have to give them some sort of payment, or it is not going to happen,” Ananda-Rajah told Guardian Australia.
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