COVID-19 Update 3rd April

• National Cabinet meets today.
• Speculation that:
  • States and Territories finalised their commercial rent support packages last night
  • Victoria will push for commercial landlords to be part of JobKeeper scheme; NSW to focus on waiving or deferring land tax for landlords offering savings to tenants and a moratorium on rent increases (SMH)
  • Some states pushing for closure of shopping centres (Australian)
  • May get announcement of some sort of residential tenancies
• Nev Power, head of the new National Covid-19 Co-ordination Commission, talks up the ‘enormous opportunity’ to reboot Australia’s manufacturing industry. ‘It will be import replacement and we can take advantage of current market conditions and disrupted supply chains’. (AFR)
• NSW govt to give $10,000 to keep small businesses (up to 19 employees, turnover $75,000 p.a.) afloat, part of a Third Wave NSW package worth $750m
• Tasmania suspends horse and greyhound racing for next four weeks
• Mining employer group Australian Mines and Metals Association call for suspension of awards and enterprise agreements for six months; Attorney general Christian Porter rejected the proposal (‘Now is not the time for ambit claims for systemic or ideological changes’)
• COSBOA calls for suspension of unfair dismissal claims for crisis
• Allan Fels says domestic aviation rules (air cabotage) needs to be eased to assist foreign entry
• Australia’s largest tollroad operator, Transurban, gets criticisms from Deputy Prime Minister McCormack (‘last thing Australians need’) and NSW Transport Minister Constance (Australians ‘won’t forgive or forget’) for increasing road tolls.