The pandemic has effectively shut down some markets, especially in the entertainment, hospitality and retail sectors.Rhiannon Beach, who runs a dog-minding and grooming service in Canberra, has cut her staff's hours by about one-third.
"Being able to find predictable work and guaranteed hours and shifts for all our employees has proven difficult," she said.The Canberra Business Council's chief, Graham Catt, said most businesses were bracing for worse to come.He said businesses that relied on discretionary spending would be worst affected.
"Things like going out for dinner, things like buying take-away food or going to a cafe, or possible going to an event or sporting fixture."However, economic consultant Saul Eslake said the ACT's slump was unlikely to be as bad as the rest of the country's. While any city whose jobless rate doubled would suffer to an extent, 6 per cent was clearly low by national standards.
"The Government is now forecasting that the unemployment rate for the country as a whole will peak at 10 per cent," Mr Eslake said.
AUSTRALIA would have to be insolvent before that happens. Canberra is Bureaucrats HQ. How can they lose jobs?