COSBOA today supports the devlopment of an 80% wage subsidy to businesses for support of their full-time, part-time and casual employees where the business has been negatively impacted by the COVID-19 crisis.
Peter Strong, CEO of COSBOA, stated "as we go deeper into COVID combat we must ensure people, the population, are supported and know they are supported. COSBOA and most other industry associations have been working closely with each other and the ACTU to develop a response that is good for people and business owners, and allows businesses to recover as quickly as possible once we move out into a post COVID environment or once it is safe to do so."
Mr Strong added 'the government must work with industry and the ACTU to ensure the payment process, through the employer, is fit for purpose and not overly complicated. This must be able to be implemented easily and rapidly when required."
Mr Strong also added "it is also worth noting that we are using the terminology 'displaced worker' rather than unemployed. There is a difference, this current situation is not the failure of an economy somewhere else, or the failure of banking regulators in the United States, it is the result of a once in a century pandemic. Wars displace people."