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JobKeeper benefit miscalculation is 'good news'

Author
Newstalk ZB staff,
Publish Date
Mon, 25 May 2020, 12:45PM
Australian Treasurer Josh Frydenberg. (Photo / Getty)
Australian Treasurer Josh Frydenberg. (Photo / Getty)

JobKeeper benefit miscalculation is 'good news'

Author
Newstalk ZB staff,
Publish Date
Mon, 25 May 2020, 12:45PM

The number of people on JobKeeper in Australia has been revised down by 3 million , which is expected to halve the program's cost

Originally the program was believed the subsidise 6.5 million workers, but has been recalculated to 3.5 million.

Australian correspondent Steve Price told Mike Hosking it is the complete opposite of a blunder, despite what is being reported.

"That means we don't have to borrow that money, we don't have to spend it.

"I interpret it as good news, the three and a half million people will get JobKeeper are on JobKeeper already, and it's not going to be 6.5 million."

Price adds it saves money they do not have.

Meanwhile, Australian state governments could still be standing in the way of a transtasman bubble.

Australian tourism minister Simon Birmingham says states' reluctance to open domestic borders should not become an obstacle to enacting the shared bubble.

But Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says states need to open to each other first.

Price says it could come down to decisions by three states.

"We've got a couple of borders, Western Australia's still closed South Australia's still closed and Queensland. And yet nationally yesterday down on one hand the number of new cases." 

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