Angus Taylor urges business to register for JobKeeper program

But Hume MP Angus Taylor concedes that some people will still lose their jobs, despite the $130 billion economic stimulus.

The government announced the job security program on Monday as coronavirus cases continued to rise.

Employers with turnover of less than $1 billion and a profit fall of 30 per cent or more can access the scheme. It provides eligible businesses a wage subsidy of up to $1500 for each fulltime, part-time and casual worker and is conditional on reduced profits of 30 per cent or more on March 1.

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"The main thing is keeping the connection between employers and employees," Mr Taylor said.

"It will allow businesses that have been scaled back or in hibernation to get up and running again very fast when we get through this...We want to ensure they're intact."

Asked how practical this was if the trade downturn meant employees couldn't be retained, the MP said businesses were essentially getting the worker for free. However they would have to pay the extras for "more expensive employees." The subsidy also doesn't cover superannuation.

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"Some people will lose their jobs and that's why we're doubling the assistance available under the JobSeeker program," Mr Taylor said.

So far, 400,000 businesses have applied for JobKeeper support.

Mr Taylor said hospitality and tourism had taken big hits but the government was also very conscious of the need to support other sectors, like childcare.

"We continue to work with the sector and we want to see them through this," he said.

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Early Learning and Care Council of Australia (ELACCA) CEO, Elizabeth Death warned this week that many childcare centres would close due to falling patronage.

"...We are looking at the potential of 150,000 job losses across the sector," Ms Death said.

"In simple and immediate terms that means people on the frontline, those that are working tirelessly to help Australians get through the COVID pandemic, will not have care for their children."

The government also requires employees to be working for the business for more than 12 months as of March 1 to be eligible. Asked why, Mr Taylor said it was aimed at retaining skills acquired over time, enabling the business to get up and running again.

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"At the end of the day, you're either a job seeker or a job keeper and there are some very generous arrangements in place," he said.

He encouraged employers to register for the JobKeeper program or for workers to bring it to their attention.

Meantime, Mr Taylor only recently returned from meetings in the US and worked from home while in self-isolation. The isolation restrictions came into force two days after his return but he did so as a precaution, as did Foreign Affairs Minister, Marise Payne.

He said like many, he coped with the challenges of working from home and now, the new isolation measures.

"This is an incredibly challenging time, particularly for some industries like cafes and restaurants that have been scaled back or closed," he said.

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"...But while it's tough, Goulburn is coping incredibly well and people are responding by doing the right thing. They should be proud of the way they're looking after each other. I've seen some great examples of this and it's a level of responsibility I haven't seen in the capital cities."

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