Q. As you may be aware, the last JobKeeper payments will be paid in April 2021. JobKeeper was a fortnightly amount being paid through employers to help with employees’ wages. The supplement to JobSeeker also ends this month. This will mean that people who are unemployed get $50 less per week.

How strongly do you agree or disagree with the following statements about the end of JobKeeper and the supplement to JobSeeker?

• When thinking about the end of JobKeeper and the end of the supplement to JobKeeper, most agree that big companies that have made a profit and paid dividends and bonuses should be forced to repay JobKeeper payments they received (66%), and there are a lot of businesses which have been surviving only because of JobKeeper and are unlikely to ever return (65%).
• This is followed by a large proportion of those who agree that they are worried about how these changes will affect the economy (58%).
• In general, Australians are less likely to agree that they are worried about how the changes to JobKeeper and JobSeeker will affect themselves (33%) and that the schemes should have been extended at least until the Covid-19 vaccine program is fully rolled out (48%).
• Older people are more likely to agree the schemes were far too expensive to continue any longer than younger cohorts (58% of those over 55 compared to 50% of those 35-54 and 49% those 18-34) and big companies that have made a profit and paid dividends and bonuses should be forced to repay JobKeeper payments they received (73% of those over 55 compared to 66% of those 35-54 and 57% of those 18-34).
• Younger people are much more likely to agree that they’re worried about how the changes to the schemes will affect them personally than older cohorts (48% of those 18-34 and 40% of those 35-54 compared to 13% of those over 55). They are also more likely to agree that ending the supplement to JobSeeker will mean there is more poverty in the community (57% of those 18-34 and 59% those 35-54 compared to 49% those over 55).
• Labor voters and Greens voters are the most likely to agree they’re worried about how it will affect the economy (67% and 62% respectively) compared to 54% of Coalition voters. These voters are also most likely to agree that the real problem the government should be addressing isn’t the cost of JobKeeper and JobSeeker but the fact that there aren’t enough decent jobs available (65% Labor voters and 63% Greens voters, compared to 46% Coalition voters).
• Coalition supporters are the most likely voters to agree the schemes were far too expensive to continue any longer (69% compared to 44% Labor voters, 38% Greens voters and 51% minor and independent party voters), and JobKeeper and the extra JobSeeker payments discouraged a lot of people from taking up jobs that were available (65% compared to 51% Labor voters, 45% Greens voters and 53% minor and independent party voters).

Q. On Tuesday July 21st, the government announced that JobKeeper payments and the increase to JobSeeker will be extended to March 2021 but that the rates for each will be reduced in October, and again in January. Eligibility for JobKeeper will remain the same, meaning that casual workers will not receive support.

To what extent do you support or oppose the changes to these schemes?

• Extension of the JobKeeper and JobSeeker schemes receives support from a two-thirds majority (66%). While the reduction of payments is supported by just over half (54%), 21% oppose this decision.

Q. The Federal Government has introduced some short-term measures to help people financially deal with the Covid-19 outbreak. For each of the following, how long do you think do you think the schemes should continue?

• Support for extending the free childcare scheme beyond the current end date of 28^th June has increased from 36% last month to 43%.
• There has been no significant changes in the proportion of people who think the Jobkeeper (now at 34%) or Jobseeker (now at 38%) schemes should be extended beyond September.
• Support for extending the free early childcare scheme is higher among those aged 18-34 than those aged over 55 (52% to 35%).

Q. This week the Government announced that from 20th July, it would stop paying the economy wide Jobkeeper wage subsidy to childcare services. It would be replaced by transition payments that may be less than the amount of Jobkeeper.

To what extent do you agree or disagree with the following statements amount the removal of Jobkeeper for childcare professionals?

• 64% of people agree that the withdrawal of Jobkeeper could put businesses at risk if a second outbreak occurs.
• Over half of people agree that the Government’s decision to change the conditions of the Jobkeeper scheme for early childcare workers means that the Government has broken its promise to keep Jobkeeper until September (53%). Similar numbers agree that ‘It is too soon to withdraw this support for the childcare sector when many children are not yet back in childcare’ (55%) and ‘I am worried that the Government will remove Jobkeeper support from other industries before the end of September’
• 57% agree that it is the right time for the Government to start withdrawing funding for some industries.