Australia’s Health Minister Mark Butler says the government has no plans to continue pandemic leave payments for individuals that must take time off work after contracting COVID-19.
Butler told ABC Radio National on Friday that the federal government did not have the financial capability to continue funding the emergency payments, which came to an end on June 30.
This is despite the fact Australians who contract COVID-19 will still be expected to isolate for seven days and potentially force workers to take sick leave, or leave without pay, to cover their isolation period.
“At some point in this pandemic, and we are reaching that point, we are going to have to start lifting emergency measures,” Butler said noting that Australians had been told well in advance about the end of the pandemic measure….