8th Apr 2020, 4:15 PM – Representatives Coronavirus Economic Response Package (Payments and Benefits) Bill 2020 - Consideration in Detail - Power of eligibility for JobKeeper scheme

The majority voted in favour of disagreeing with the opposition amendment that related to the rule making power that the bill gives the Treasurer. MP for Watson Tony Burke (Labor) explained the amendments in his contribution to the debate:

The way this bill has been structured is that all the power of eligibility lies outside of the parliament, and what we're effectively doing is giving the Treasurer extraordinary powers to be able to devise the scheme. This amendment accepts that that's the way that it's been structured, but the fact that it's been structured that way prevents us from going line by line and moving amendments to change the principles of eligibility. So what this amendment does to the sections of the bill that give the Treasurer the power to establish the rules is put in demands about what he must consider.

Opposition amendment text

(1) Clause 7, page 4 (after line 29), at the end of clause, add:

(3) Before making rules for the purposes of subsection (1) that provide for a payment or scheme to assist businesses to cover the costs of wages of their employees, the Treasurer must consider the following:

(a) the need to support essential workers and services in key sectors and regions;

(b) the need for all casual employees to access support;

(c) the consequences for employees who may be required to run down leave entitlements;

(d) the needs of charities that may experience a decline in donations but not in GST turnover;

(e) the recognition of the status of universities and schools that are ACNC-registered charities;

(f) the needs of registered NDIS providers and the disability workforce;

(g) the needs of active business participants;

(h) the need to support temporary visa holders who are unable to return home;

(i) the needs of local government employees.