25 March 2020

The last press release on the latest round of measures from the PM’s office on 24/03/2020 can be viewed here.

In summary:

• National Cabinet will meet again tonight
• Rent is a key topic, with concerns about business and individuals being evicted for non-payment
• United Workers Union has done a deal with the AHA to help hospitality industry (to cut minimum hours requirements, suspend rules on job classifications, relax rules on when staff can be directed to take leave)
• Speculation that a major mental health package will be coming
• Parliament could potentially sit by videoconference, Government and ALP have agreed.
• Pay freeze for top public servants and staffers
• Govt are fast-track reviewing Singapore App TraceTogether, an opt-in BlueTooth tracer of personal physical contact (to overcome people’s faulty memories)
• There are lots of border issues within Australia – freight etc
• There is increasing speculation about the future of guest worker schemes (how sustainable they are if there is mass unemployment)
• Super funds, concerned about large scale ‘hardship withdrawals’, are looking for government underwriting of liquidity
• Unemployment is an enormous issue. Centrelink capacity/eligibility are issues of the moment, but will shape the political landscape for a long time to come.