As Australia welcomes the new year, significant changes to the Federal Government's economic response to the pandemic, are to take effect.
As the federal government reduces COVID-19 unemployment benefits from the 1st of January, 2021, economists and the Opposition are calling for JobSeeker and Jobkeeper benefits to remain unaffected.
The JobSeeker unemployment supplement is being reduced by $100 a fortnight from Friday the 1st of January, and the JobKeeper payment by $200 on Monday 4 JANUARY.
The new rates will be $150 a fortnight for the JobSeeker Coronavirus Supplement and $1,000 for JobKeeper, and are effective until the end of March.
The new JobKeeper rate decreases to $650 per fortnight if you've worked less than 20 hours a week on average during February or June 2020.
These moves will see vulnerable people live on $40 dollars a day, considered by some to be an unacceptable amount.
2020 was a challenging year for Australians, 2021 will also test the nation's fortitude.
Listen to SBS Indonesian every Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday at 3 pm.
Follow us on Facebook and catch us on podcasts.
