Around the world, COVID-19 continues to show how destructive it is.

Dear
Friend,
Around the world, COVID-19 continues to show how destructive it is.

Tragically in some countries, including the UK, Italy, Spain, Sweden and Belgium, there have been over 100 times our number of deaths per capita.

Australia is better placed to deal with this crisis than most countries. However, our fight is ongoing.

Times are particularly tough in Victoria. As the Prime Minister has said “we are all Melburnians”, as the whole country is backing Victoria to succeed.

Around 1,500 Defence Force personnel have been deployed, along with hundreds of health professionals and other experts.

Australia’s extensive testing and contact tracing remain vital tools for tackling outbreaks. Over 3.7 million COVID-19 tests have been conducted.

Our Government has boosted Australia’s health capacity, including:
* 5,500 new ventilators, and a further 3,500 due for delivery by the end of July.

* More than 340 million masks, six million gowns, 41 million gloves and eight million goggles and face shields added to our National Medical Stockpile, with more on order.

* Expanding Medicare-subsidised telehealth services, with around 20.3 million services to 8.6 million patients.

* Over 550 COVID-19 clinics, including 142 GP-led respiratory clinics.

The world is dealing with both a health crisis and an economic crisis.

The OECD projects the global economy to contract by 6% this year.

To put this in perspective, the global economy has contracted just once in the last 40 years. This was in 2009, when it contracted by 0.1%.

We are supporting Australians with the biggest economic lifeline in our history.

JobKeeper is supporting 3.5 million workers in 960,000 businesses. This week, we announced its extension for a further six months, with some modifications.

Other economic support includes:
* Over $16 billion in payments to more than 750,000 businesses to boost cash flow.

* A 50% wage subsidy, supporting around 180,000 apprentices and trainees.

* Up to 340,700 JobTrainer places for school leavers and job seekers to upskill.

* The HomeBuilder program, supporting the residential construction industry.

* JobSeeker and the Coronavirus Supplement.

* $750 payments in April and July to millions of Australians, including pensioners.

Treasury estimates as a result of this support, unemployment will peak around 5 percentage points lower than it would have, preventing the loss of around 700,000 jobs.

When COVID-19 hit Australia, our economy was strong.

Last year, Australia had a balanced budget for the first time in 11 years. Over six years, more than 1.5 million jobs had been created.

Our task now is to rebuild and get Australia back on track.

As we do this, we will continue to have Australians’ backs.

Regards,

Josh Frydenberg
Treasurer


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Authorised by A. Hirst for the Liberal Party of Australia.
Corner of Blackall and Macquarie Streets, Barton ACT 2600.
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