Australian Reports of the Virus Spread

[HappyFlyerFamily]

In that article it states:

It was not believed the staff member was the "definitive source" of the outbreak and there were no links to Victorian cases, she (NSW Chief Health Officer Dr Kerry Chant) said.

So no.

So ironically it looks like a Victorian caught the virus at the pub!

I’m pretty certain that appeared earlier on in the day. They’ve been updating this article through the day, so poor editing may mean a quote earlier in the day/yesterday is less valid now, but the reporter/updated did not touch an earlier quote....yes, confusing.

 

[RooFlyer]

And with the work or starve attitude of the Federal government any options of not working are quickly discouraged.

I don't understand this.

1) 'JobKeeper' - paying businesses to keep people employed, and 2) 'JobSeeker' where the 'unemployment benefit' (to use the old lingo) was substantially (I think) increased to match the 'JobKeeper' rate. Doesn't sound like a discouragement to not work to me. Can you elaborate your thinking, please?

 

[Pushka]

I don't understand this.

1) 'JobKeeper' - paying businesses to keep people employed, and 2) 'JobSeeker' where the 'unemployment benefit' (to use the old lingo) was substantially (I think) increased to match the 'JobKeeper' rate. Doesn't sound like a discouragement to not work to me. Can you elaborate your thinking, please?

I read over the weekend that the current stimulus packages had not only resulted in additional spending - so extra money into the economy - but had also put more money into peoples bank accounts. How that is a bad outcome for anyone personally beggars belief.

As one of those apparently nasty employers, I am dreading October though. And the situation in Victoria has dashed a job we won there for September because everything was hunky dory a few weeks when we signed up, and put at risk another work contract just won here in Adelaide which relates to a group of retirement villages, if the virus makes its way across the border. Two steps forward, two steps backwards.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

Ms Cordwell said her grandfather became unwell about Friday, July 3, then got progressively worse over the next few days.

He was transported to hospital last Monday, tested positive for COVID-19 shortly afterwards, and died on Friday.

The 90-year-old great-grandfather died in hospital on Friday and was a resident of Glendale Aged Care in Werribee, in Melbourne's south-west.

As of Sunday, 10 other cases of coronavirus have been detected at the aged care facility — nine staff members and an 85-year-old female resident.

Luckily the female resident appears to be progressing well.

'He died alone': Granddaughter's message for Melburnians after 90yo's COVID-19 death

Gabrielle Cordwell says she doesn't want "another family to have to go through this" after her "one-of-a-kind" grandfather Alf Jordan died from COVID-19 in Melbourne this week.

www.abc.net.au

 

[Hvr]

I don't understand this.

1) 'JobKeeper' - paying businesses to keep people employed, and 2) 'JobSeeker' where the 'unemployment benefit' (to use the old lingo) was substantially (I think) increased to match the 'JobKeeper' rate. Doesn't sound like a discouragement to not work to me. Can you elaborate your thinking, please?

Certainly: tenuous employment in many fields, including security work has been the norm for many years.
Until COVID-19 was declared a pandemic the Federal government didn't really believe that unemployment was involuntary, basically if you really wanted to work you would find something.

Security work is a fluid industry at best, work a shift here for company A, a shift there for company B and then a shift in your own company. None of which pays the legal rate or assumes any responsibility for training WH&S etc. Refuse a shift and you may not get anymore.

If you're not eligible for JobSeeker it really is a case of work or starve. Noting the requirement to have been casually employed by a company for at least 12 months to be eligible for JobKeeper, many security guards would not have met this essential criteria.

Noting the lack of employee engagement or even care by many security firms it is no wonder that their 'employees' in what guise, really aren't interested in anything but getting through their shift.

As I've posted previously, many RTOs issued training qualifications that cost a lot but are essentially useless. It means that the trainees can only get a job in the dodgiest of companies that have no interest in anything but money for themselves.

We're really scratching the surface of employer corruption and as the pandemic eases and many businesses become due to reopen it will come to light that they are no longer financially viable. Currently there are eight registered unemployed people per job vacancy.

It will get worse and dodgy practices by employers will get worse to the detriment of society.

 

[Pushka]

Certainly: tenuous employment in many fields, including security work has been the norm for many years.
Until COVID-19 was declared a pandemic the Federal government didn't really believe that unemployment was involuntary, basically if you really wanted to work you would find something.

Security work is a fluid industry at best, work a shift here for company A, a shift there for company B and then a shift in your own company. None of which pays the legal rate or assumes any responsibility for training WH&S etc. Refuse a shift and you may not get anymore.

If you're not eligible for JobSeeker it really is a case of work or starve. Noting the requirement to have been casually employed by a company for at least 12 months to be eligible for JobKeeper, many security guards would not have met this essential criteria.

Noting the lack of employee engagement or even care by many security firms it is no wonder that their 'employees' in what guise, really aren't interested in anything but getting through their shift.

As I've posted previously, many RTOs issued training qualifications that cost a lot but are essentially useless. It means that the trainees can only get a job in the dodgiest of companies that have no interest in anything but money for themselves.

We're really scratching the surface of employer corruption and as the pandemic eases and many businesses become due to reopen it will come to light that they are no longer financially viable. Currently there are eight registered unemployed people per job vacancy.

It will get worse and dodgy practices by employers will get worse to the detriment of society.

Im concerned and curious to know who isn't eligible for jobseeker?

 

[Steady]

Im concerned and curious to know who isn't eligible for jobseeker?

People on jobkeeper? Or those already employed

 

[Hvr]

Im concerned and curious to know who isn't eligible for jobseeker?

Who can get JobSeeker Payment - JobSeeker Payment - Services Australia

You need to meet some rules to get JobSeeker Payment.

www.servicesaustralia.gov.au

Under 21:

You’ll need to meet all of these:

• you’re between 22 and Age Pension age
• you meet residence rules
• your income and assets are under the test limits.

You also need to meet rules for 1 of these situations:

• You meet our definition of unemployed and you’re looking for work.
• You’re sick or injured and are unable to do your usual work or study for a short time.

SCV= Special Category Visa
New Zealanders,

Non-protected SCV holder

If you're a New Zealand citizen who arrived in Australia after 26 February 2001, you’re generally a non-protected SCV holder. This means you are not an Australian resident for social security purposes.

International students, their visas generally allow for a maximum number of hours per week but no benefits if not working.

If your spouse/partner is working and earning too much (not much really for a family) you're not eligible for benefits.

I'm sure there are other groups of people not eligible for JobSeeker I haven't mentioned here.

 

[Pushka]

If your spouse/partner is working and earning too much (not much really for a family) you're not eligible for benefits

So I don't see the issue with this group at all. They don't pass the assets nor means test.

International students I agree it has been very tough for them.

New Zealanders - don't know enough here to comment.

But that's really it! It isn't the issue that your post alluded to. Many many people are benefiting from a plan that was enacted with exceptional haste and on the whole, great success. As employers it saved our business and our employees. Sadly we had to let two contractors go but both of those are eligible for jobseeker.

Post automatically merged: Jul 12, 2020

People on jobkeeper? Or those already employed

Yes but those on JobKeeper get the money so of course they can't double dip. Nor should they.

 

[Hvr]

International students I agree it has been very tough for them.

International students comprise a large proportion of security guards employed by dodgy companies.
For them it really is work or starve.

Way too many of them should never have been allowed to study here with their very poor English language skills, but basically the only criteria for admission to some Australian universities is the ability to pay the fees.

The family borrows money with the expectation that when the student returns they will be able to earn enough to repay it quickly and then make the family bettor off economically.

However, the student is expected to survive financially whilst they're here. Many of them are exploited in the labour market,

 

[Austman]

Im concerned and curious to know who isn't eligible for jobseeker?

Landlords.

Tenants don't actually have to pay rent during the crisis. Landlords still have to meet their financial commitments. Tenants will still technically owe the rent at the end of the crisis but we are not there yet.

Landlords are often ineligible because of their assets. And for other reasons. A fair bit of media coverage on this. Eg:

Many landlords are struggling right now. Here's why

It's not just renters who are doing it tough. Most landlords aren't the fat cats you imagine they might be and need a bit of help getting by right now.

www.abc.net.au

There is basically no support for landlords. Or so little that it's irrelevant.

 

[Pushka]

International students comprise a large proportion of security guards employed by dodgy companies.

Maybe I have misread about the spread but I thought that the security guards have been responsible for a significant part of the spread and that was related to the Public Housing, which they would not be entitled to, and then significant family celebrations. That doesn't seem to be the profile of the typical overseas student who is pretty much in the country on their own and who would not be part of any Islamic schooling nor religious nor family celebrations?

Post automatically merged: Jul 12, 2020

Landlords.

Tenants don't actually have to pay rent during the crisis. Landlords still have to meet their financial commitments. Tenants will still technically owe the rent at the end of the crisis but we are not there yet.

Landlords are often ineligible because of their assets. And for other reasons. A fair bit of media coverage on this.

There is basically no support for landlords. Or so little that it's irrelevant.

Ok. I did read that in SA rents have increased due to demand so possibly not an issue for SA landlords so not covered extensively here in the media. I am currently renting and we are paying rent as usual as are our renting family members.

 

[Cruiser Elite]

Tenants don't actually have to pay rent during the crisis.

I think somebody forgot to tell Westfield this

 

[RooFlyer]

Thanks. Interesting perspective.

Until COVID-19 was declared a pandemic the Federal government didn't really believe that unemployment was involuntary,

Nonsense. Stated as a fact, but just an opinion.

If you're not eligible for JobSeeker it really is a case of work or starve.

Well, I'm not eligible, but neither working nor starving. Another exaggeration.

We're really scratching the surface of employer corruption

It will get worse and dodgy practices by employers will get worse to the detriment of society.

.. as will happen by dodgy practices of drug-toking, bludging no-hopers on welfare.

Oh! Offended and appalled by my silly generalisations and un-constructive cartoon-ish vilification in place of proper argument? My apologies - but the same I am of yours.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

So I don't see the issue with this group at all. They don't pass the assets nor means test.

Not so easy for some though.

These days there are many young "couples" who have moved in together. Their mindset though is not necessarily though that of your traditional longterm couple and they may not really have thought about it as being longterm partners. More of see how it goes and enjoy today. Certainly their finances are separate even though they will have split costs.

However if only one bedroom DSE will believe them to be a couple.

So if one loses their job their "partners" income is considered and that may well be enough for no Jobseeker. So that means that they are now dependant on someone that they do not really want to be dependant on.

It is a bit like living with your mate, and but now your mate is responsible for you.

Now just move home with mum and dad to qualify you might say. Well mum and dad may be in a rural area, different state, or even country. Also if one person moves out they are still responsible for half the rental, and sourcing another flatmate is not possible.

 

[Flying mermaid]

Landlords.

Tenants don't actually have to pay rent during the crisis. Landlords still have to meet their financial commitments. Tenants will still technically owe the rent at the end of the crisis but we are not there yet.

Landlords are often ineligible because of their assets. And for other reasons. A fair bit of media coverage on this.

There is basically no support for landlords. Or so little that it's irrelevant.

And sometimes landlords fall in the cracks for what assistance there is. We have a serviced apartment with Accor/Manta and have had our rent reduced 70%. Now the ACT government is giving land tax rebates to landlords who give reductions to residential tenants and rates reductions to landlords who give rent reductions to commercial tenants, but we don’t meet either scheme. They are taking every cent of the pitiful rent we get each month in rates, water rates and land tax . What can you do except suck it up and cut living expenses to the bone, along with many others in worse circumstances.

 

[Pushka]

Not so easy for some though.

These days there are many young "couples" who have moved in together. Their mindset though is not necessarily though that of your traditional longterm couple and they may not really have thought about it as being longterm partners. More of see how it goes and enjoy today. Certainly their finances are separate even though they will have split costs.

However if only one bedroom DSE will believe them to be a couple.

So if one loses their job their "partners" income is considered and that may well be enough for no Jobseeker. So that means that they are now dependant on someone that they do not really want to be dependant on.

It is a bit like living with your mate, and but now your mate is responsible for you.

Now just move home with mum and dad to qualify you might say. Well mum and dad may be in a rural area, different state, or even country. Also if one person moves out they are still responsible for half the rental, and sourcing another flatmate is not possible.

So just maybe individuals need to think about the consequences, intended and unintended, of moving in together, into a single bedroom? Goodness, how much do we have to support such decision making?

 

[Austman]

I think somebody forgot to tell Westfield this

OK. Residential landlords was my intended post.

And I'm actually affected. My bills are the same but my tenants aren't paying rent. There's not much I can do.

I can't give them notice due to non payment of rent.

I looked at Jobseeker. Ineligible. I looked at Jobkeeper. Ineligible.

 

[Pushka]

OK. Residential landlords was my intended post.

And I'm actually affected. My bills are the same but my tenants aren't paying rent. There's not much I can do.

How long does that system last? I agree, that sucks big time. It just isn't happening here in SA.

 

[Austman]

How long does that system last?

It lasts until the state government removes the emergency legislation that prevents residential landlords from ending leases due to non payment of rent.

It's fair enough that the government wants people to be accommodated.

But they have offered very little support to residential landlords who might have to pay, themselves, for that government decision.