Up to 14,000 workers on JobKeeper in Launceston and the state's North-East could be thrust into unemployment if the federal government brings its wage subsidy program to an abrupt halt later this year.
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Federal Labor has seized on new Treasury figures released in response to questions on notice from the Senate Select Committee on COVID-19 as evidence of the harsh economic impact the conclusion of JobKeeper in late September threatens to have on the nation's workforce and the economy.
The figures - cross-referenced against data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics and the Australian Tax Office - show that 14,936 Tasmanian businesses have applied for JobKeeper - a payment equating to $1500 per employee per fortnight - to help prop them up during the pandemic.
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That means up to 56,757 workers in the state could have the payment taken away from them come September 27 - when the government has said it will end the program.
It could also result in up to $85 million being ripped from the Tasmanian economy every fortnight from that point on.
In Launceston and the North-East alone, 3900 businesses have applied for JobKeeper. Up to $22.3 million could be removed from the local economy every fortnight when the subsidy ends.
Treasurer Josh Frydenberg has signalled that a new income support package is being devised to help sandbag the economy following the phasing out of JobKeeper.
But federal Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese said Australians "need to know now" what action the government would take.
"[Prime Minister Scott Morrison] must not make things even worse for Australian families and businesses by withdrawing support too soon," Mr Albanese said.
Opposition Treasury spokesman Jim Chalmers said the new coronavirus outbreak in Victoria, coupled with the associated reintroduction of lockdown measures, had highlighted how "important" it was that the government offered some clarity on JobKeeper's future.
"The Morrison government could better target and taper [JobKeeper], but shouldn't just turn off the tap," he said.
Mr Frydenberg told the Seven Network on Wednesday that there would be "another phase" of income support that would be "temporary and targeted" and announced on July 23 when he is set to detail his economic and fiscal update.
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