National cabinet will meet on Monday as unions, state leaders, and some Labor MPs call for the $750 COVID-19 self-isolation payment to be restored for workers without sick leave. auspol COVID19 pandemic
Health Minister Mark Butler has defended the government's decision to end pandemic leave payments, despite case numbers increasing as a result of new, more infectious subvariants of COVID-19 circulating in Australia.Health Minister Mark Butler says the government is monitoring the rise of COVID-19 cases across the country closely, ahead of a snap national cabinet meeting next week.
He defended the end of the payments as case numbers increase from new, more infectious sub-variants of COVID-19. Mr Butler said there were a "range of points" where a decision to potentially revisit the idea of a pandemic leave payment would come about. "The Australian community understands, and indeed wants, the country to move to a new phase in confronting this pandemic."He said many employees would already be receiving payments from their workplace should they be forced to isolate.
While the government has laid the blame on the coalition for the decision to end the payments on 30 June, opposition health spokeswoman Anne Ruston said clarity was needed on why the pandemic leave measures weren't extended during the height of new infections.
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