The latest Victorian lockdown is a compelling argument for the government to review its commitment to scrapping JobKeeper on March 28.
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One of the most successful Australian legislative initiatives in living memory, JobKeeper gave millions of people cause for hope for a better future during the darkest days of the pandemic and recession.
At the height of the crisis 3,800,553 workers (almost one in three) were in receipt of the payment according to Treasury. That had fallen to 1,669,400 employees (about one in eight) in the December quarter.
If the program had not been extended beyond its original six month lifespan it is highly likely the feared epidemic of economically induced mental health issues, including suicides, would have been far worse.
JobKeeper had, as the Prime Minister told the National Press Club on February 1, literally "saved not just livelihoods, it saved lives".
So, if this is the case and given that not all jurisdictions and sectors of the economy have "snapped back" at the same rate, why are Mr Morrison and Mr Frydenberg so keen to see the back of the most popular and effective policy initiative they have ever introduced by March 28?
If the intent is simply to save money then that could be achieved at least in part by a further slight reduction in the fortnightly rate. Initially introduced at up to $1500 a fortnight for full time employees, JobKeeper was cut to $1200 a fortnight on September 28, and then to $1000 a fortnight on January 4.
Surely a further extension at, say, $900 a fortnight, shouldn't be out of the question given the number of workers on the program has continued to drop significantly in late 2020 and early 2021.
According to the ATO only 1.54 million workers were receiving the supplement by the end of December, well down on the original prediction of 2.2 million.
As a result of the extended second wave lockdown Victoria, which had peaked with one in three workers on JobSeeker at the height of the crisis, still had one in five depending on the supplement at the end of 2020.
While significant economic progress had been made in the first six weeks of 2021 the current five-day lockdown is a severe blow to many struggling Victorian businesses, especially those in hospitality, tourism and travel.
And then, of course, there is the closely related issue of the JobSeeker supplement.
Despite pressure from many sources, including the welfare sector and even the Reserve Bank governor, Phillip Lowe, the government has yet to commit to permanently increasing the rate above the pre-pandemic $565 a fortnight ($40 a day) for a single non-renter without dependents.
According to an Anglicare report released on Monday a reversion to the old rates would plunge hundreds of thousands of people, including children, back into poverty.
It is important to note any additional cash allocated to JobSeeker recipients would go straight back into the economy.
Unlike some of the other forms of stimulus that have been rolled out it wouldn't be squirreled away under the bed, deposited in the bank or invested in equities markets.
This is not the time to swap John Keynes for Milton Friedman. We don't need "trickle down" policies right now.
Both social justice and economic best practice are compelling arguments to stick with the current levels of income support for the immediate future.