JobKeeper changes introduced to the parliament today will save jobs in the hardest hit sectors, give businesses the ability to adapt to change quickly and protect the livelihoods of thousands of Australians, Business Council chief executive Jennifer Westacott said.

“We welcome the government’s targeted, phased approach to JobKeeper payments and flexibility measures, which will help keep many Australians in work, particularly in Victoria.

“Crucially, this package will save tens of thousands of jobs by giving still struggling businesses who are not eligible for payments room to move, adapt and ramp up quickly.

“Extending temporary flexibility measures will give businesses floored by COVID-19 but not receiving JobKeeper payments a welcome alternative to closing their doors, lay-offs and redundancies.

“The worst form of insecurity is unemployment, so as we emerge we have to pull out all stops to keep people working and create new jobs.

“Co-operation between unions and employers has saved tens of thousands of jobs, if we move too quickly to return to inflexibility we run the risk that tens of thousands will be lost.”