Friday 1 July 2022 03:06 AM Australia's Covid-19 pandemic disaster payment: $750 lump-sum payments scrapped trends now
View
comments
Australians can no longer claim $750 if they cannot work because they catch Covid-19.
The pandemic leave disaster payment was introduced in August 2020 to provide workers with an income so they would stop going to work while sick and spreading the disease to their colleagues.
Last year the Morrison government decided to scrap the scheme at the start of the new financial year today and the new Labor government has stuck with that timeframe.
Australians can no longer claim $750 if they cannot work because they catch Covid-19
Aussies without sick leave who cannot do their jobs because they have to isolate for seven days will now have to go without pay.
All states and territories still have seven-day isolation rules still in place, sparking fears that many casual workers will simply not get tested and go to work while ill to avoid losing income.
Health Minister Mark Butler said the Federal government cannot afford to keep making the payments which have cost taxpayers $1.9billion so far.
'We're going to have to start to moving towards more normal programs that support the Australian community and people have been on notice about that for some time,' he told ABC Radio on Friday.
Asked if people without sick leave would go to work with Covid if they didn't have access to the government
