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Many still reliant on JobKeeper as payments set to end

One million employees and 370,000 businesses in Australia were still reliant on the JobKeeper subsidy at the end of January, as employers brace for the scheme to end on March 31.

Mar 24, 2021, updated Mar 24, 2021
Photo: Andrew Spence/InDaily

Photo: Andrew Spence/InDaily

Since JobKeeper was first introduced in April last year, more than 2.7 million employees and about 680,000 business have left the scheme, representing a 72 per cent reduction.

In South Australia, 51,600 employees were on the scheme in January – a 78 per cent reduction from the 233,500 employees receiving JobKeeper payments from April to September last year.

Australian Taxation Office data also shows that all industries have seen a significant decrease in the number of employees covered by JobKeeper, including a 83 per cent fall in retail and a 69 per cent drop in accommodation and food services.

Treasurer Josh Frydenberg said the final JobKeeper numbers for the month of January confirm that Australia’s economic recovery is broad based across all states, regions and industries.

“We know that some families and businesses are still doing it tough and our message is that the Morrison government continues to have your back,” Frydenberg said.

He said the government’s economic recovery plan will continue to support the economy through targeted support measures as well as tax cuts, business incentives and a record investment in skills and training and infrastructure.

Western Australia and the Northern Territory recorded 81 and 82 per cent drop offs in employees receiving JobKeeper payments since the start of the program – the largest reductions in the country.

Conversely, Victoria had the greatest number of employees (389,000) still on the scheme, representing only a 65 per cent drop off from April last year.

-with AAP

Topics: JobKeeper
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