Business leaders have backed Prime Minister Anthony Albanese after he flagged the continuation of pandemic leave payments as long as COVID-19 isolation is compulsory, saying governments have a responsibility to communities on which they impose restrictions.
Perrottet is pushing for mandatory isolation to end, but would have to convince his federal, state and territory counterparts this would not put too much pressure on hospitals, a concern Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews has raised. Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry head Andrew McKellar has backed the retention of pandemic leave payments.“Pandemic leave payments go hand in hand with mandatory isolation. We would not expect the removal of one without the other,” McKellar said, adding businesses could not afford to see a complete removal of mandatory isolation and related support if it resulted in higher infection rates.
Government Services Minister Bill Shorten told ABC radio on Tuesday morning pandemic leave payments were costing $6 million a day, or $320 million since July 20, with half a million people having claimed the benefit. More than 12,000 online claims worth more than $3.6 million have been flagged as suspicious and blocked in the six weeks to August 31.