Dear Residents of the Berowra electorate,

Yesterday, the Prime Minister and Treasurer announced the extension of further support that will be provided to employers, businesses and individuals affected by COVID-19 as well as increased support for small business.

I have included information about those announcements as well as the latest health information in this newsletter.

If my staff or I can assist you in any way, in the days ahead, please don't hesitate to phone my office on (02) 9980 1822 or email Julian.Leeser.MP@aph.gov.au.

Kind regards,

Julian Leeser

Extension of JobKeeper

As people in our community have told me JobKeeper has been a lifeline for so many businesses. JobKeeper has been instrumental in supporting job retention, maintaining employment links and business cash flow, as well as providing income support to eligible employees.
  
The JobKeeper Payment is currently due to finish on 27 September 2020, but an adjusted JobKeeper Payment will remain available for eligible employers until 28 March 2021.

As the economy reopens the payment will be tapered down in the December and March quarters to support gradual transition off the payment, while ensuring those businesses who most need support continue to receive it.

A two-tiered payment will be introduced from 28 September, to better align the payment with the incomes of employees before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Employees who were working for more than 20 hours per week at the start of the year, and those who were working less than 20 hours per week on average in the four weekly pay periods ending 1 March 2020, will receive a lower payment rate.

The payment rates from 28 September 2020 will be:
28 September 2020 to 3 January 2021

• People who worked over 20 hours per fortnight: $1,200
• People who worked less than 20hrs per fortnight: $750

4 January 2021 to 28 March 2021

• People who worked over 20 hours per fortnight: $1,000
• People who worked less than 20hrs per fortnight: $650

As the economy recovers, some employers who have relied on JobKeeper will not need these extension payments. Therefore from 28 September 2020, businesses, employers will need to demonstrate a continued need for the payment. They will need to reassess their eligibility by reference to their actual June and September quarter turnovers to demonstrate that they have suffered an ongoing significant decline in turnover.

Employers will again need to reassess their eligibility for the JobKeeper Payment for the March quarter. Employers will need to demonstrate that they have met the relevant decline in actual turnover in each of the previous three quarters ending on 31 December 2020 to remain eligible for the JobKeeper Payment in the March quarter 2021.

The JobKeeper Payment will continue to remain open to new participants that meet the eligibility requirements too, so that it can support all the employers and employees that most need it. 

Extension of JobSeeker Supplement

The Government will continue to pay a temporary Coronavirus Supplement to job seekers at a reduced rate, while the economy is still in its early stages of recovery. 

From 25 September 2020 to 31 December 2020 the Coronavirus Supplement will be extended at the rate of $250 per fortnight. Both existing and new income support recipients will continue to be paid the Coronavirus Supplement. The Government will also ensure income support is appropriately targeted as the economy recovers by reintroducing a range of means testing arrangements.

From 25 September 2020, the assets test and the Liquid Assets Waiting Period will be reintroduced and the JobSeeker Payment partner income test will increase from 25 cents for every dollar of partner income earned over $996 per fortnight to 27 cents for every dollar of partner income earned over $1,165 per fortnight.

The Government will also improve incentives to work by increasing the income free area for JobSeeker Payment and Youth Allowance.

These changes will mean individuals will be able to earn up to $300 per fortnight without foregoing any JobSeeker payment or affecting their eligibility for the Coronavirus Supplement. The expanded criteria for JobSeeker Payment and Youth Allowance will continue to provide payment access for permanent employees who are stood down or lose their employment, sole traders, and the self-employed until 31 December 2020.

Increasing small business access to loans

The Coronavirus SME Guarantee Scheme which is supporting small and medium sized businesses (SMEs) has been extended to enable SMEs to get access to the funding they need to adapt and innovate during the coronavirus crisis.

Under the existing scheme, the Government is guaranteeing 50 per cent of new unsecured loans to SMEs. The scheme has already seen more than 15,600 businesses accept loans worth $1.5 billion.

Key changes to the scheme include:

• Extending the purpose of loans able to be provided beyond working capital, such that a wider range of investments can be funded;
• Permitting secured lending (excluding commercial or residential property);
• Increasing the maximum loan size to $1 million (from $250,000) per borrower;
• Increasing the maximum loan term to five years (from three years); and
• Allowing lenders the discretion to offer a repayment holiday period.

The extended terms of the scheme will enable lenders to continue supporting Australian small businesses when they need it most. The expanded scheme will help businesses stay afloat during the crisis and enable them to access credit so that they can invest for their future.

The initial phase of the scheme remains available for new loans issued by eligible lenders until 30 September 2020. The second phase will start on 1 October 2020 and will be available until 30 June 2021.

The Government will continue to support small businesses as they seek to rebuild, adapt and create jobs on the other side.

JobTrainer skills package

The Morrison Government has invested $2 billion to enable Australians to upskill or reskill, and support tens of thousands of apprentices and trainees in jobs. 

The new $1 billion JobTrainer fund will provide up to an additional 340,700 training places to help school leavers and job seekers access short courses to develop new skills in growth sectors. Courses will be free or low cost in areas of identified need, with the Federal Government providing $500 million with matched contributions from State and Territory governments. 

States and Territories have also agreed to undertake immediate reforms to improve the vocational education and training sector.

The Morrison Government has announced an additional $1.5 billion to expand the wage subsidy to help keep apprentices and trainees in work. This additional investment builds on the $1.3 billion package announced in March, and has been expanded to include all businesses with up to 200 employees. This means that around 180,000 apprentices and the 90,000 small and medium businesses that employ them will now be supported, with the program extended by six months to the end of March 2021. 
 

COVID-19 Health News Updates

Unfortunately the outbreaks in Victoria have led to some further outbreaks of COVID-19 in NSW. The NSW Health Department has provided some important information for people who either, 1. need to self-isolate and get tested immediately; or 2. monitor for symptoms.

Confirmed COVID-19 cases are associated with the following locations. For the most up to date information on where known COVID-19 cases have visited and where outbreaks have occurred, click on the link below.

Self-isolate and get tested immediately
If you have been to any of the following locations at the times indicated you must:

• immediately self-isolate until 14 days after you were last there
• get tested even if you have no symptoms
• watch for COVID-19 symptoms and get retested should any symptoms recur  
• even if you get a negative test, you must stay in isolation for 14 days (this is because it can take 14 days before you may show symptoms or test positive).

Official advice on wearing face masks

With masks being mandated in Victoria I have been asked about when and if people should wear masks in Sydney.

Here is the official advice as of 21 July.

When should masks be worn in the community, in Australia?

• stay at home if unwell
• maintain physical distance (more than1.5m) from other people, when out
• avoid large gatherings and crowded indoor spaces
• practise hand and respiratory hygiene.

However, if you are in a region where community transmission is occurring, you should take extra precautions, in some circumstances.

• wash or sanitise your hands before putting it on or taking it off
• make sure the mask covers your nose and mouth and fits snugly under your chin, over the bridge of your nose and against the sides of your face
• do not touch the front of your mask while wearing or removing it
• do not allow the mask to hang around your neck or under your nose
• do not reuse single use masks; wash and dry reusable masks after use and store in a clean dry place.

Infection Control Training

The Australian Government developed a Infection Control Training Module: How to protect yourself and the people you are caring for from infection with COVID-19, as part of the Government’s health response to COVID-19.

Since 15 March, over one million people in Australia have completed the course equipping them with knowledge and skills to better deal with COVID-19 infection prevention and control.

The training module covers the fundamentals of infection prevention and control for COVID-19.

The Government has made the training module available internationally because the COVID-19 health emergency is a global crisis.

People from more than 120 countries have enrolled in the course with the highest enrolments in India, the Philippines, Bangladesh and New Zealand.

The module takes approximately 30 minutes, with a questionnaire at the end, and a certificate of completion. If you would like to undertake the course, you can complete the course by clicking on the button below. There are also free COVID-19 Aged Care and Indigenous Health Modules are also available.

Scam Watch

Unfortunately during COVID-19 there are increasing numbers of people trying to scam the public.

It is more important than ever to remain vigilant about scams especially in the telecommunications sector. If you receive a call you are not expecting, there is a good chance it could be a scam call.

If you receive a call that you do not trust, please contact Scamwatch.

Recent Media

Speaking to the Indian media about the Australia-India relationship

I have had terrific feedback about the article I published in The Australian last week about the Australia-India relationship. The article has had coverage here and in India as a result. I had the opportunity to speak to CNN India about the India-Australia relationship.