https://www.xxzza1.com
23.9 C
Newcastle

Shortland working families set to suffer again: Conroy

SHARE

Shortland MP Pat Conroy believes Prime Minister Scott Morrison is about to pull the rug from working families in his electorate at the end of the month.

The local Shadow Minister Assisting for Government Accountability, along with Labor leader Anthony Albanese, deputy leader Richard Marles and shadow treasurer Jim Chalmers, expressed his concern about JobKeeper finishing up in less than three weeks.

He deems that move will rip vital support from an estimated 4,136 workers and 1,344 businesses in Shortland, alone.

Mr Conroy warned the JobKeeper transition must be based on what’s really going on in the local economy, not an arbitrary deadline at the end of March.

“Ever since the first round of cuts to JobKeeper in September last year I have heard from many people in my community who have been struggling to make ends meet,” he explained.

“This is backed up by feedback from food banks in my electorate, with some reporting a 600 per cent increase in demand for their support since September.

“This will only get worse at the end of March when JobKeeper is removed entirely as well as the JobSeeker Coronavirus Supplement.”

Mr Conroy said abolishing JobKeeper on 28 March would impact more than one million workers and half a million businesses across the country, including thousands of working families in Shortland.

“Labor pushed for wage subsidies in the first place because it was the right thing to do,” he told Newcastle Weekly.

“With more than two million Australians searching for a job or more hours, the Morrison government has no real plan to grow our local economy.

“Instead, its cuts to JobKeeper, cuts to wages and cuts to superannuation will make things worse, not better.

“Labor is on the side of working families in Shortland – fighting COVID-19, while also fighting to build an economy that is stronger and fairer after the pandemic than it was beforehand.”

For more news stories:

More Stories

Newcastle Weekly

Subscribe To Our Newsletter

Subscribe to Newcastle Weekly. News, Community, Lifestyle, Property delivered direct to your inbox! 100% Local, 100% Free.

You have Successfully Subscribed!