ACT govt under pressure to boost business aid

By completely withdrawing federal assistance once a state or territory reaches an 80 per cent double vaccination rate the Treasurer hopes to incentivise Chief Ministers and Premiers to lift restrictions faster and to think twice before going back into lockdown.

Mr Frydenberg's desire to wean the nation off the government teat is understandable given $291 billion has been spent on direct economic assistance since the pandemic began. Of this $9 billion has been spent on JobSaver payments since June.

He has made no bones of the fact that despite Thursday's better than expected budget outcome the government can't keep paying JobSaver and business assistance indefinitely. "If not at 80 per cent then when?" he asked.

While a fair comment, this pays scant regard to the fact none of the lockdown states and territories - NSW, the ACT, and Victoria - will completely open up their economies at the 80 per cent mark.

In Canberra, which should hit the target in mid-October, clubs and pubs, cafes and restaurants will likely be limited to either the four square metre rule or up to 100 people in indoor settings and 150 people outdoors until well into November.

Cinemas, which won't reopen until October 29, will be restricted to 75 per cent of capacity or a maximum of 500 people, and gyms, which also won't reopen until October 29, will have to cap exercise classes at 20 people.

And, to make matters worse, JobSaver starts to be wound back once a jurisdiction reaches 70 per cent double vaxxed, a target the ACT could reach next week.

NSW and Victoria also won't be fully opening when the 80 per cent target is reached. And, perhaps most significantly, there are no indications governments in Western Australia, South Australia, Tasmania, Queensland and the Northern Territory will open their borders in line with the Doherty modelling.

This may place additional strain on the travel, tourism and hospitality industries across Australia during the traditionally lucrative Christmas holiday season.

With each of the states and territories going their own way and the federal government charting a course of its own millions of Australians are concerned and confused over what is going to happen between now and the New Year.

On the one hand we have been warned that case numbers will explode and that hospitals could be overwhelmed by mid-to-late October. On the other millions of people whose jobs have been on hold for months because of necessary public health decisions are being told they could be thrown back onto their own non-existent financial resources within weeks.

Massive cracks have appeared in the Federation and ordinary tax-payers, who cough up the money for all levels of government to keep them safe and to provide certainty, are the meat in the sandwich.

While few would question the wisdom of the ACT government's decision to proceed cautiously with opening up it is now incumbent on Mr Barr to explain to affected workers and businesses what happens once Mr Frydenberg takes his bat and ball and goes home.

While the joint support package announced on Wednesday afternoon was welcome the reality is it only runs to about October 15.

Tens of thousands of Canberrans are badly worried about what happens after that. They are entitled to clarity, certainty and detail.

Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content: