NATALIE BARR:
Joining me now is Treasurer Josh Frydenberg, morning to you.
JOSH FRYDENBERG:
Good morning Nat.
NATALIE BARR:
The new Jobkeeper system, who will get it and how much will they get?
JOSH FRYDENBERG:
We will be making those detailed announcements later in the week. But what I can tell you Nat is that there will be another wave of income support recognising the need across the community. The Morrison Government has been with the Australian people every step of the way in this crisis. We have announced more than $260 billion worth of measures and the JobKeeper program right now is supporting 3.5 million Australian workers, some 900,000 businesses and is the biggest economic support measure this country has ever seen. While a number of the states are opening up, we recognise that with Victoria in lockdown and some of the other businesses in the other sectors really being challenged, that this will be an important initiative from the Government.
NATALIE BARR:
How are you going to work out who gets more?
JOSH FRYDENBERG:
Well, obviously there are turnover tests which have been applied to those currently receiving the program and those turnover tests will also be applied in the future because we recognise that businesses are doing it tough and there are some that have come back. Now, if their turnover has improved sufficiently and they are opening their doors, they are seeing more foot traffic through their shops, then the JobKeeper program may not be applicable to them. But for many others, particularly in sectors that rely on the borders being open, like the aviation sector, like the tourism sector, like aspects of the hospitality sector, the arts sector, they are going to continue to need this support and that is why we have decided to continue with a particular income support program.
NATALIE BARR:
Okay. JobSeeker, also due to drop back to that $560 a fortnight in September, What are you going to do there?
JOSH FRYDENBERG:
Well we do know that there are more people getting back to the workforce because outside of Victoria, the restrictions are being eased. And in the most recent job numbers Nat that were revealed just a few days ago, 210,000 people over the last month got a job. Now 60 per cent of those were women, 50 per cent of those were young people, so there are jobs that are starting to come back for people. But we also note, that there are record number of people who are getting the JobSeeker payment and they will also need to have that blow of losing their job cushioned and that is why we are again looking at those levels of support and we will continue to provide additional support to those people.
NATALIE BARR:
Okay. Treasurer, thanks for your time this morning.