AMRINDER GIDDA:
Minister Michael Sukkar, thank you for joining us.
MINISTER SUKKAR:
Thank you so much for having me. Wonderful to be with you.
AMRINDER GIDDA:
Thank you so much and basically the announcement we heard so far is a really we can say, is we have to appreciate the comment support. If you can kindly summarize the announcements to streamline the whole thing for the community.
MINISTER SUKKAR:
Yeah, sure. So the most recent announcement that we made was the new job keeper payment that we announced yesterday, which is a $1,500 a fortnight payment to employers as a wage guarantee for their nominated employees. So $1,500 per fortnight as an employer in order to access the scheme the first thing you do is get onto ato.gov.au and there's a page there where you register your intention to claim and that will provide you with a $1,500 a fortnight payment for each nominated employee provided they are employed with you as of the 1st of March and provided that you have seen for small businesses, a drop in turnover of at least 30%.
AMRINDER GIDDA:
So the employers need to, Minister, just to clarify, yeah?
MINISTER SUKKAR:
That's right. The employer, registers and nominates their employees who are the subject of the scheme because this is not a direct payment from the Government to the employee, it's a wage guarantee to ensure that people remain employed.
AMRINDER GIDDA:
Yeah, so my next question is in terms of the sector which brings the third biggest revenue and prosperity to Australia, which is international education. So international students are currently struggling, you know, what kind of package do you think will be available for them. And if not, then why?
MINISTER SUKKAR:
One of the things that we have done for a range of visa category holders is increase the hours that they are able to work to start with. That was an important change to the visa system for a whole host of reasons but were seen to support those individuals. Of course any Australian based business that is engaged in international education will be entitled to provide, if they meet the other requirements, entitled to the JobKeeper payments. There's also a range of other supports. We're giving Australian businesses a cash flow boost of up to $100,000, which is a direct payment from the government to small businesses. So that includes Australian based, international education providers. But like all these things, as far as our social services system or our tax system, they are predominantly directed at Australian citizens or permanent residents and I think that's completely understandable.
AMRINDER GIDDA:
Yeah, I think I just want to basically get into this cushion plan as they say, you know, when we talk about like the government announced the changes into the working restrictions or for the international students, but that's only in the essential services. But the bigger group of the international student, they are working in a non-essential, they lost their job, they have debts to pay in terms of their fees or a rental. They can't access the JobKeeper. They can't access the rental assistance as well. So do you think we have to give them a cushion plan as well?
MINISTER SUKKAR:
Well, I think Alan Tudge is working on a range of measures to support, not just international students, but there are large numbers of individuals who are in Australia on various visa categories, some who don't have work rights at all mind you and of course we're not going to allow people to be destitute. I know Alan Tudge, the acting Minister, is looking at it as we speak. So I acknowledge that there's an issue there. We're not going to allow people to be destitute, but you know, I'd leave the specifics of those issues to him because I know that is something he's working on, on a daily basis.
AMRINDER GIDDA:
I'll move on to the next point. People are losing their superannuation funds as well to the banks. Is there any guidelines because government announced they can access the super but when they get into the super account, they see some percentage of their money's already gone because of the market loss. So is there any guideline in particular which government will enforce on the banks to really ensure that people are not losing their superannuation?
MINISTER SUKKAR:
Well, look, all of our superannuation funds are subject to market volatility. That's the reality. I mean, our superannuation, depending on what we've chosen or a default fund would be all invested. Some of it might be held in cash, some of it's invested, but by and large, most if not all Australian superannuation will in some way, shape or form be subject to market fluctuations. Now, no doubt, our, I think we've all taken a hit on our superannuation at the moment and I mean that just highlights some of the important things that we've been saying for many years, which is 'it's, it's our money at the end of the day, we should have more control over how it's invested. We should have more control over the decision making given that it's our money. Some people don't think that we should treat it as our money, but we do believe that and so one of the other measures we put in place was to give people access to up to $20,000 of their own super. And again, all they have to do is apply on the ato.gov.au website to get the ball rolling for that, which is just going to provide people short term relief and it's their money.
AMRINDER GIDDA:
And when you say, Minister, that it's their many of course the temporary visa holders, they do fall under that category. They've get their super and things like that. But as a temporary visa holder, they are not able to access the super in this situation as well. So JobSeeker and super access, they're losing the job so they're not working in a non-essential industry. So for them it's getting really hard, you know? And the mental support or other things which are common and also funding, that's also available for permanent residents or citizens here. So do you think we should allow the students or other temporary visa holders to access their super as well?
MINISTER SUKKAR:
Well, we haven't provided for that at the moment, but as I said earlier, I think there are other measures that, Alan Tudge is looking at and you know, when I say looking at, I don't mean he's going to be looking at these for a very long period of time. He's going to be acting quickly. But you know, like with all these measures, we've had to move quickly and I think understandably, we focus them predominantly on Australian residents or permanent residents, but we are not blind to the turmoil that's occurring for some people, as you rightly say, who are working in essential services. Now I happen to know some very close people who I know who are international students, in this case from India, who are probably financially more better off now because they're working a lot more and they,
AMRINDER GIDDA:
Yes,
MINISTER SUKKAR:
They do work in the central area. So it's not across the board, but for those people who are suffering, we will help them.
AMRINDER GIDDA:
Yeah. And in term of the rental assistance scheme, all the teens, they want to access those benefits. Of course, they are in financial hardship. So when people are approaching these days to, agencies or landlords, they are seeing you can pay the rental by super, but the banks are not clearing it. So do you think we should have a more [inaudible] in terms of the execution of these announcements?
MINISTER SUKKAR:
Look at first instance, what we want to see is, we want to see people working together. So we want landlords and tenants, to the greatest extent possible, to resolve these issues without government intervention. I mean, that's the reality. And if you're a landlord with a tenant who literally cannot pay that, you know, they are literally in financial hardship, it's actually probably in your best interest as a landlord to help that person because if they've been a good tenant to date then they will be a good tenant again once we get through this, what I hope is a temporary coronavirus-impacted economic downturn. So that is what we are doing. There is going to be a decision made by the national cabinet, I understand, this Friday in relation to tendencies and how those things are treated with some additional support potentially from state governments in particular for both landlords and tenants.
AMRINDER GIDDA:
All right. So because the government is announcing, of course, billions of dollars to support Australians and Australian businesses all together. Do you think when the situation settles down in six months’ time, we wish things would settle down as soon as possible, do you think after that in the new budget, we may experience new taxes?
MINISTER SUKKAR:
Well, look, I don't think we should get into speculating on what might be in future budgets. We're in the middle of probably the biggest economic downturn that the globe has seen for a very, very long time and so we're very focused on getting through this. We're focused on getting everybody through it in one piece. We're focused on making sure business sustain business, that people stay in their jobs, that people stay in their homes, that people if they're unable, are getting mortgage relief. People are getting relief in a range of areas, including their tax obligations with the ATO, extending the periods for any taxes being due. We're trying to take the pressure off everyone now. I think there'll be plenty of time to be focusing on what we do to pay the bill. Because you're right, that we're going to have to pay the bill one day. But I think now is the time to focus on how we get each other through and how we support each other through.
AMRINDER GIDDA:
Yeah, last question, Minister. In terms of the feedback from the listeners or the community which we deal with, we feel that the Government announcements are good, but there are some missing pieces in the puzzle. In terms of inter-department communications, say for example, the landlord or the tenants, or the first home owner or the bank itself. Do you think in the coming time, in one or two weeks’ time, that we have to settle this in terms of more refined announcements?
MINISTER SUKKAR:
Well, I think what's happening at the moment is - and this isn't just for government or for big corporations - everybody is trying to grapple with an emerging, in many respects, crisis and reflect and reacting very quickly to try and deal with the immediate problem. So what that does do though is when everyone's moving very quickly, you're right and your listeners and the feedback you've got, I think is fair. There can sometimes be a disconnect between one or the other. I think over coming weeks as we put in place some of these very important building blocks, whether it's job seeker, whether it's cash flow for small businesses, whether it's the enhanced safety net, all of these measures as we start implementing them, I think you'll see, not just from government, but from everywhere, us getting on top of it and ensuring that those differences or that sort of miscommunication, which has happened at certain levels, starts to improve.
AMRINDER GIDDA:
Thank you so much, Minister for your time. Much appreciated.
MINISTER SUKKAR:
My pleasure. Thanks for having me.