Liberal MP Dan Tehan tells out-of-work Victorians to head to Centrelink, but they may not receive support

A senior federal Liberal MP is urging Victorian workers to go to Centrelink if they lose their income during the state’s latest lockdown — but is unable to say whether they will actually receive any support.

The entire state was sent into lockdown until Friday after Melbourne’s coronavirus cases started to climb.

There were 49 active cases as of midnight on Saturday.

Appearing on Insiders on Sunday, Trade Minister Dan Tehan was asked how the federal government planned on supporting casual workers through their fourth lockdown.

He pointed to coronavirus crisis payments available through Centrelink.

“Well, you can go to Centrelink and if you’re eligible, if you’ve lost a complete week’s work or if you will lose two weeks’ work, then you might be eligible for one of these emergency health payments,” Mr Tehan said.

“So for those people who find themselves in circumstances where they’ve completely lost their income, then they should go to Centrelink and see whether they are eligible.”

According to the Services Australia website, only people who are ordered to quarantine or self-isolate, or who are caring for someone in quarantine or self-isolation, are eligible for the support.

It said: “You can’t get it if you’re staying home but leaving for essential activities such as shopping or work.”

Pressed on whether Victorian workers would be eligible, Mr Tehan repeatedly urged casuals to visit Centrelink.

“It will depend on your circumstances and on your loss of income,” he said.

“They will assess your situation and see whether you are eligible for a payment.

“And what you have to remember … in terms of federal government support for Victoria during this pandemic, we have paid more federal government support for Victoria per capita than any state or territory.”

Federal Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese said Mr Tehan’s comments were confusing, and called on him to apologise.

“I’m not sure what he was saying,” Mr Albanese said.

“The federal government needs to clarify exactly what it means.

“Whether it’s about income support, whether it’s about national quarantine, it needs to get its messages straight.”

Victoria takes aim at federal government over lack of support for businesses

Shortly after Mr Tehan spoke to Insiders, Victoria’s government announced a $250 million package to help businesses hit by the state’s lockdown.

In doing so, state Treasurer Tim Pallas said the state’s Labor government had been knocked back after appealing to the federal government for financial support for workers.

“I am angry and I am disappointed,” Mr Pallas said.

“This idea that we’re working hand-in-glove when they never put their hand in their pocket is nothing short of a disgrace.

“They pride themselves on being the party of the forgotten people. Well, the people they seem to have forgotten is Victoria and Victorian workers.”

‘The Melbourne Cup is a race’

On Insiders, Mr Tehan also talked up the federal government’s vaccine rollout.

The Coalition has been criticised for missing its own targets, with just 4.15 million vaccine doses distributed as of Friday.

In January, Prime Minister Scott Morrison had said 4 million Australians would be vaccinated by March.

He has since insisted the vaccine rollout “isn’t a race”.

“The Melbourne Cup’s a race, the Stawell Gift’s a race, when it comes to vaccines what we’re trying to do is make sure we get as many people vaccinated as quickly as we possibly can,” Mr Tehan told Insiders.

Acting Prime Minister Michael McCormack, speaking on Sky News, agreed.

“It’s not a race, it has to be systematic, it has to be rolled out in a way that Australians obviously need to know that they have to get the jab, but we can’t have everyone getting it at the same time, and that’s why there has been a phased-in system,” he said.

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