Whilst I agree that the Jobkeeper payment is valuable in many instances it has come to light recently just how unnecessary and inequitable it is for certain employees.
These are just a few local examples of friends and acquaintances that I know of receiving Jobkeeper:
1) 22 year old attends uni and prior to Jobkeeper was working 5 hours per week in a cafe earning around $100 / week..now living at home doing university by distance and not working AT ALL receiving $750 per week = 7.5 x previous wage. I know that heaps of friends children and some adults in the same boat receiving $750 a week whereas previously they worked very little.
2) Female prior to Jobkeeper working 2 days per week in a cafe earning $240 per week. Money is basically pocket money as her husband is earning around $300,000 / year and currently busier than ever. Likes to work but does not 'need' to work. She is currently receiving $750 per week = 3 x previous wage. Jobkeeper unlike Jobseeker is not means tested.
3) Part time air hostess earnings unknown prior to Jobkeeper. Husband owns very lucrative smash repair business, multiple houses, drives a Mercedes etc. Likes to work but does not 'need' to work. Now receiving $750 a week as Jobkeeper is not means tested.
4) Teacher friend working for Department of Education sports department contract terminated (no school sports this year). No Jobkeeper payment as not a business and ineligible for jobseeker (which is a lot less money) as Jobseeker is means tested. Cashed in long service leave as no other option and work is limited.
5) Friends daughter working at a preschool on Jobkeeper but has not stopped working full time. Workload has increased due to Covid - 19 as cleaning / disinfecting is constant throughout the day under new guidelines. Wage has dropped from around $1000 / week to $750 per week. Now on 75% previous salary. Jobkeeper payments to child care workers will be one of the first to stop on July 20.
These are just a few examples. Some of my thoughts on this..
* Jobkeeper SHOULD be means tested the same as Jobseeker.
* Anyone less than say $500 / week should have gone onto Jobseeker. It seems incomprehensible that someone previously earning $50 $100 or whatever now receives $750 / week.
* Jobkeeper should not have been limited to businesses..the money being handed out to some of the above examples could have funded this to be a fairer system to all
* Child care workers should not be the first to be cut from Jobkeeper. There are many others such as the above that should be cut first and for that matter should never have received Jobkeeper.
