The Greens say it is unconscionable for the Government to be chasing income support recipients for JobKeeper debts when billionaires collected millions in Jobkeeper while turning significant profits. 
 
“There is a clear double standard between individuals receiving income support and businesses who claimed Jobkeeper'', Greens spokesperson on Family and Community Services Senator Rachel Siewert said. 

 “I am certain the vast majority of these so-called debts will be genuine mistakes in a confusing system. 

 The Greens say that older Australians are at significant risk without mandatory COVID -19 vaccines for all aged care workers, including those working in home care and disability care.
 
“It’s shocking that workers caring for a very vulnerable population in their homes, moving between many households in a day are not a priority for the vaccine rollout", Greens spokesperson on Ageing Senator Rachel Siewert said. 
 

The Greens say that the additional $200 for people on income support who have lost 8 hours of work a week is a step in the right direction but once again it isn’t enough.

It’s very simple: to ensure people stay safe, the Government must ensure everyone can afford to stay home during lockdowns. 

Once again, a confusing, delayed and piecemeal process to access support has exacerbated the mental ill-health of people in our community. 

The Morrison Government must urgently deliver targeted and adequate funding support to the the Arts and Entertainment Industry, the Greens say.

Greens Spokesperson for Arts Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said: 

“Australia’s Arts and Entertainment Industry has been pummelled by this crisis from the very beginning and it is still suffering. 

“The Morrison Government has failed to provide adequate support to help the Industry survive, to help workers put food on the table and pay rent, and to keep doors open in the future.

Greens Spokesperson for the Arts and Senator for South Australia Sarah Hanson-Young has backed calls today for greater support for the hard-hit industry:

"The Arts and Entertainment Industry was one of the first to be hit by Covid restrictions early last year and it continues to be pummelled by repeated lockdowns and social distancing requirements. 

"Despite being one of the hardest hit industries, the Morrison Government took months to deliver any support and it continues to underdeliver.

The Australian Greens say that ACOSS’ Report “Locked out in Lockdown: A report about people with the least trying to survive in lockdown” highlights that the Morrison Government has created a two-class income support response.  
 
“This Government has locked out people with the least. People who have lost paid work because of lockdowns are able to access the $600 per week COVID-19 Disaster Payments, while those on JobSeeker Payment are getting half as much at $315 per week”, Australian Greens spokesperson on Family and Community Services Senator Rachel Siewert said. 
 

As the need to reestablish a large-scale JobKeeper becomes increasingly obvious, the Greens say the same coalition that dragged the Prime Minister over the line the first time can do it again.

Quotes attributable to Greens Leader, Adam Bandt:

“13 million people are under lockdown but Scott Morrison is fiddling with makeshift support packages rather than simply reintroducing a previously successful, well-understood JobKeeper scheme.

The Morrison Lockdowns in Sydney and Melbourne are taking a political toll on the Prime Minister, but the Greens say the long-term damage of the mismanagement will land hardest on young people, and are calling on the Prime Minister to ensure no-one is left behind by lifting JobSeeker back to $1,100 a fortnight and implementing JobKeeper 2.0.

Quotes attributable to Greens Leader, Adam Bandt:

“These Morrison lockdowns are hitting many people just as hard as last year, so the Prime Minister must give people the same level of support as before.”

The Greens are calling on the Federal Government to commit to funding a pay increase for aged care workers saying the Government should have done this in the recent budget.