Victoria has received a grim economic forecast as it heads back into lockdown after the Andrews government reimposed stage three coronavirus restrictions.
State Treasurer Tim Pallas said the unemployment rate was expected to peak at 11 per cent with an extra 270,000 people unemployed after being revised up from nine per cent. Meanwhile Jobs Minister Martin Pakula has spoken to the media for the first time since explosive reports emerged about private security guards rorting Melbourne’s hotel quarantine system.
When probed about his involvement in engaging private security firms to police the hotel quarantine system, Mr Pakula said he would leave the matter to the judicial inquiry. The Jobs Minister however did concede the jobs department was one of several involved in managing contracts with the security guards. Mr Pakula also strongly denied he chose to employ private security firms as opposed to the ADF of police forces due to links with the United Workers Union.
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