Small businesses who employ senior Australians with a disability will be eligible for $10,000 under a new program to be unveiled in Tuesday’s budget.
The latest iteration of the ReStart program will cost the government an estimated $44m to help get Australians over the age of 50 living with a disability get into work.
Treasurer Josh Frydenberg says it’s one of a “series of initiatives” to be unveiled in the Morrison government’s pre-election budget this Tuesday that will support small businesses and help drive Australia’s unemployment rate even lower.
“(ReStart) is important because these workers with a disability, as seniors, are very valuable members of our workforce,” Mr Frydenberg told Sky News on Sunday.
“And businesses are incentivised to take them on.”
The government has previously put money behind the ReStart program to get senior Australians in work, but Mr Frydenberg is re-leading the push as the government seeks to get the unemployment rate down to less than four per cent.
It’s one way the government is planning on helping older Australians, with speculation pensioners could benefit from a $250 cash payment to help with rising cost of living.
But Mr Frydenberg is remaining tight lipped on just how the government is otherwise planning on assisting Australians amid mounting cost of living.
“The cost of living relief in this budget will be temporary and it will be targeted. It will be focused on helping Australian families,” Mr Frydenberg said.
“Petrol prices have been rising off the back of international events, and we recognise the need to provide cost of living relief to Australian families.”
It’s understood the government will unveil a temporary reduction of the petrol excise, which currently sits at 44.2 cents per litre.
But, Mr Frydenberg said additional cost-of-living measures will need to be balanced against the risk of rising interest rates and inflation.
Cash handouts and the extension of the Low and Middle Income Tax Offset are on the table.
“It’s all about getting the balancing act right,” Mr Frydenberg said.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison also unveiled on Sunday morning a$365m plan to support an extra 35,000 apprentices and trainees to get into a job.
“These programs deliver certainty for businesses so they can go and hire another apprentice chef, another apprentice hairdresser, another apprentice plumber,” Mr Morrison said.
“It is about getting Australians skilled and into jobs straight away.”
