Scott Morrison is preparing to introduce another wave of coronavirus economic support with almost one million Australians now out of work.
The prime minister is putting the final touches on the post-JobKeeper package before the details are announced next week.
“It will be there for everyone who needs it, based on the impact on their business and the impact on their employees,” he told the Seven Network on Friday.
Mr Morrison said the national measures would “disproportionately benefit” Victoria, where a fresh outbreak has forced millions of Melburnians back into lockdown.
“The reason for that is they’re assessed based on the need and the impact of the virus on people’s businesses,” he told 3AW radio.
“That is clearly going to be greater in Victoria than many other parts of the country.”
JobKeeper wage subsidies and the temporarily doubled JobSeeker dole are due to expire in September.
Mr Morrison is also ploughing another $400 million into an existing arts fund to attract big budget productions to Australia.
He said the cash grants would create 8000 jobs per year, particularly among tradespeople that support the stage and screen sector.
The prime minister also weighed in on the debate around masks, saying they should only be worn in Victoria and only where people can’t observe social distancing, including indoors and on public transport.
Mr Morrison declined several invitations to criticise Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews for presiding over the state’s coronavirus outbreak.
“The only thing that matters is getting on top of this,” he told the Nine Network.
“I will give Daniel Andrews every support he needs to be able to achieve that. It’s what Melburnians and Victoria needs. If Victoria isn’t successful, Australia isn’t successful. We need Melburnians and Victorians to win here.”
The prime minister wants the rest of Australia to learn from Victoria’s mistakes, particularly its devastating breach of hotel quarantine.
“That’s a warning to other states and territories, particularly those hiding behind borders,” he said.
“If you let go of your tracing and your social distancing and other disciplines, then the virus can move very quickly through your community. The borders won’t protect you from that.”
More than 992,000 people are now unemployed and Australia’s coronavirus death toll has risen to 113.
Mr Morrison described the worsening Victorian outbreak as a big setback to economic recovery, but is pleased by NSW’s rapid response to a growing pub cluster.
On Thursday, Victoria recorded 317 more cases, the largest daily increase since the start of the pandemic.
There are 109 people hospitalised in Victoria, including 29 in intensive care.
NSW recorded 10 new cases, including three more people linked to the Crossroads Hotel cluster in southwest Sydney.
The Victorian premier has talked down the prospect of moving to a harsher lockdown, given Melburnians are only one week into stay-at-home restrictions lasting six weeks.
