Media release – Jeremy Rockliff, Premier, 14 July 2022
Commonwealth COVID assistance must be maintained
With COVID cases and hospitalisations continuing to increase across the country due to the more transmissible BA.4 and BA.5 subvariants, it is vital that both State and Federal Governments continue to offer financial support for testing and isolation.
Today I have written to the Prime Minister outlining the Tasmanian Government’s strong concerns about the recent decision to end the Federal Pandemic Leave Disaster Payment, COVID-19 Home Medicines Service and the provision of Rapid Antigen Testing to concession card holders.
The recent rise in cases is another demonstration that the pandemic is not over yet, and it remains vitally important that people in the community have access to tests, stay home and get tested if they have symptoms, and isolate if they test positive.
There is no doubt that ending the Commonwealth assistance measures at this time places very real strain on our community and health systems – as well as increasing the pressure on people who are dealing with the rising cost of living, especially for those within insecure work, underemployment and casual work.
The Tasmanian Liberal Government continues to play our part, with Pandemic Isolation Assistance Grants still available to those impacted.
The Commonwealth needs to do more, in partnership with the states and territories, as has been the case since the pandemic started.
I look forward to the Prime Minister’s urgent consideration of this matter.
Media release – United Workers Union, 15 July 2022
UWU Response to paid pandemic leave removal
Statement attributable to United Workers Union National Secretary Tim Kennedy:
Removing paid pandemic leave in the middle of a pandemic is short-sighted and at odds with the seriousness of the COVID infection rates we are seeing across Australia.
The leave protections were fought for by the union movement in 2020 and backed by the then Labor Opposition. Now in Government, they are saying they can’t afford it. We believe that it will do greater economic and social damage by withdrawing it.
It will also hurt the very people who have shouldered the greatest load over the last two years – the low paid essential workers who were asked to turn up every day risking their health.
The leave should be extended until we have emerged from the worst of the terrible winter wave at a bare minimum.
