In response to the economic effect of the Victorian resurgence, the federal government has committed an extra $15.6 billion into the JobKeeper scheme and will soften eligibility requirements.

Previously, businesses were going to have to show declines in turnover in the June and September quarters to qualify for the subsidy after 28 September. However, this has now changed so that they will only have to show a fall in turnover in the September quarter compared with a comparable period in 2019.

Moreover, after 4 January, businesses and not-for-profits will have to show a fall in the December quarter compared to a comparable period the year before instead of having to demonstrate a fall in turnover in each of the June, September and December quarters to access the payment.

To claim for staff, an employee would have to have been on the books as of 1 July 2020 (instead of 1 March 2020, as previously announced).

The changes will apply nationwide, and will cost the budget $15.6 billion, with the vast majority (around $13 billion) of the expansion expected to go to businesses in Victoria given Melbourne’s second lockdown.

The move takes the original $70-billion package to over $100 billion.