[Epoch Times, July 23, 2021](Epoch Times reporter Chen Guang compiled and reported in Sydney, Australia) People who are already receiving social welfare payments in NSW will lose their eligibility for the federal government’s COVID-19 Disaster Payment. These include workers and students who lost their paid jobs due to the lockdown. In this regard, the state finance minister has expressed his concerns to the federal government.
In the blocked Greater Sydney area, nearly 400,000 people are receiving social welfare payments. According to regulations, they are not eligible to receive a weekly epidemic subsidy of 375 yuan or 600 yuan provided by the federal government. Although many of them work in industries such as retail and guest hospitality services, they have lost their jobs due to the lockdown.
According to the Sydney Morning Herald website, 21-year-old college student Bailey Riley applied for Abstudy and received a stipend of about A$600 every two weeks. She usually does odd jobs at Taget chain stores to supplement her living expenses. But since the lockdown, her working hours have been reduced to 3 hours every two weeks.
She said that after paying the rent and utility bills, the government’s student subsidy was almost used up. “I have to ask my family for money for meals. I will definitely be under pressure because I cannot get the subsidy for the epidemic, even though I have lost it. And I’ve been working for several years.”
Of the five federal constituencies that receive the most social benefits in NSW, four are located in the southwest of Sydney. These constituencies almost cover the most severely blocked local government jurisdictions such as Fairfield, Canterbury-Bankstown and Liverpool.
According to data from the Federal Department of Social Services, there are 378,478 people in NSW who are receiving social welfare payments, excluding children.
Federal Finance Minister Josh Frydenberg said on Thursday, “We can’t keep everyone in exactly the same state as before the lockdown,” but he said, “If you don’t work now…because of the lockdown, Then your benefits can be increased under certain circumstances.”
NSW Finance Minister Dominic Perrottet said in an interview with the Sydney Morning Herald that he has raised concerns with the Morrison government about people missing out on federal epidemic subsidies.
He said: “There is a clear inequality between those workers who have been suspended from work, those who have income support and those who have no income support.”
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian said this week that she would be happy to discuss this issue with the federal government because the federal government ultimately assumes the responsibility for subsidizing personal income.
But she also said that the NSW government has agreed to provide epidemic subsidies to individuals living outside of the epidemic hot spots defined by the federal government.
Editor in charge: Yue Ming
For more real-time news and life information in Australia, please click dajiyuan.com.au
(This article shall not be reprinted or established a mirror website without permission)
.