Sky News Political Editor Andrew Clennell says the Morrison government is using measures to reduce the cost of the JobKeeper scheme and as such the outcome will mean a lift in unemployment.
JobSeeker payments will be slashed to $815 a fortnight from September as the Coalition moves to keep COVID-19 support payments until at least the end of the year.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison also announced JobKeeper support would be reduced to $1200 per fortnight towards the end of September with a lower payment of $750 for those working less than 20 hours per week.
Those figures will be reduced to $1000 and $650 in the March quarter.
The $550 JobSeeker supplement will be reduced to $250 in September but those on it will be able to earn $300 without affecting the payments.
Mr Clennell told Sky News host Peta Credlin the announcements today are “a good solution in the centre”.
“It’s interesting just how much of a difference the two JobKeepers are going to be,” he said.
“You can see the measures they are using to reduce the cost of this scheme, ultimately though it means a lift in unemployment.
“Not as big a lift as you’d have seen if you just pulled the rug out entirely.”
