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Welcome to Labor’s Senate Select(ions) - a wrap of this week’s developments from the Senate Select Committee investigating the Morrison Government’s coronavirus response.

It was a busy week for the committee, with three days of hearings – and the evidence was clear: workers and business groups want JobKeeper extended.

But for now, Scott Morrison is dragging out the uncertainty over the future of JobKeeper, leaving it until after the Eden-Monaro by-election to announce his plans and while the fiscal cliff of September is rapidly approaching.

WORKERS TELL THEIR STORY

We know this pandemic has hit many sectors hard. This week the committee heard powerful and at times heartbreaking testimony about the impact the COVID-19 response has had on workers.

GRIM FEARS ABOUT THE END OF CHILDCARE SUPPORT

One of those voices was Jessica Liersch, an early childhood educator. She believes without JobKeeper the sector would have collapsed, and as she told Senator Murray Watt there are real fears about the impact the end of free childcare will have.

That concern is shared by those in the business community. As you can read here several business groups have called for a more targeted stepping down of JobKeeper post-September – and they warned of the coming cliff when JobSeeker is wound back to $40 a day and free childcare ends.

BUSINESSES BACK LABOR’S CALL FOR END TO CLIMATE UNCERTAINTY

We also heard business groups are crying out for more certainty when it comes to energy policies. As Australia charts its way through the first recession in three decades, the Australian Industry Group Innes Willox told Senator Kristina Keneally that volatility around pricing and reliability will impede growth prospects.

His comments came on the same day as Labor Leader Anthony Albanese extended an offer to work with the Morrison Government on a bipartisan energy policy framework – to find solutions, give businesses that certainty and help create jobs.

You can see more of what Albo had to say here:

HEARINGS BEGIN INTO THREAT FROM FOREIGN INTERFERENCE DURING PANDEMIC

On a separate front, this week the Senate Select Committee on Foreign Interference through Social Media began public hearings. This is particularly important work at the moment with the COVID-19 pandemic creating an opportunity for malign actors to exploit through misinformation and interference on platforms such as Facebook and Twitter.

Senator Jenny McAllister is chairing the Committee and shared the things you should know from the first hearing here:

Thank you for taking the time to read this week’s Labor Senate Select(ions).

Please stay safe and stay healthy.

Senator Katy Gallagher
Chair of Select Committee on COVID-19