Shadow Employment Minister Brendan O’Connor has welcomed the positive unemployment figures, largely attributing the positive outcome to the JobKeeper and JobSeeker welfare programs.
“There is certainly some improvement and that’s a good thing,” he said. Mr O’Connor said he thought it was “largely to do with the support of JobKeeper and JobSeeker and that’s why we would like the government to maintain that support”.
However, from January 4 JobKeeper payments will be fall from $1,200 to $1,000 for full time workers and from $750 to $650 for part time workers. “That will mean a lot of money taken out of the economy". Mr O'Connor pointed out while the country is moving out of the pandemic, sectors of the economy such aviation, tourism, hospitality and accommodation, continue to be impacted and require support.
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