2020-06-05
Greens Leader Adam Bandt has responded to reports the government is considering Labor’s proposal to cut JobKeeper payments for people previously earning less than $1,500 a fortnight, slamming the two parties for working together to slash the pay of low-paid workers bringing home less than the weekly minimum wage.
“Labor is sticking the knife into low-paid workers and the Liberals are twisting it,” said Mr Bandt.
“This is the sell-out of the century.
“Many of the people earning less than the weekly minimum wage are insecure, low-paid and underemployed workers desperately seeking more work and higher wages.
“With JobKeeper these people are getting something close to a living wage, and now Labor and Liberal are throwing these vulnerable workers off a financial cliff.
“I never thought I’d see the day where Labor openly advocated for income cuts to low-paid workers. It is no wonder the Liberals have taken up Labor’s offer to sup with the devil.
"This will force people into the impossible choice between accepting a slashed income during a pandemic, or quitting their job and joining JobSeeker. This is an impossible choice for people who are already struggling to make ends meet.
“The Greens will fight this move tooth and nail and block it in the Senate. We will embarrass Labor into reversing its attack on the low paid and vulnerable.”
“JobKeeper should be extended to all casuals and all workers who need it, but not at the expense of the low paid, especially given the government now has $60b more to spend than it thought.”