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All the more to buy toilet paper with.
Australia on Thursday announced a $17.6 billion package to stave off a feared recession triggered by the coronavirus pandemic — with more than six million people getting $750 handouts.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison promised the one-time payments — about $475 in US dollars — to anyone on welfare, including pensioners, carers, veterans, families, young people and jobseekers. That means around 6.5 million people, which is more than a quarter of the population.
The handouts will cost the Government $4.8 billion — just over $3 billion US — in the hopes of sparking enough consumption to avert what would be the country’s first recession in 29 years.
The Land Down Under has had 136 cases of COVID-19, including three deaths, sending residents into panic-mode — even brawling over the scarce supply of toilet paper sparked by fears of lengthy quarantines.
“It’s not for us to tell those Australians how to spend their money,” Treasurer Josh Frydenberg said of the payments. “But what we do know from experience is that they will spend that money, and that money will encourage economic activity.”
Besides the handouts, most of the economic stimulus package — equivalent to $11.4 billion US, just under one percent of Australia’s GDP — will help businesses.
“This plan is about keeping Australians in jobs. This plan is about keeping a business in business,” Morrison said.
“This plan is about ensuring the Australian economy bounces back stronger on the other side of this.”
With Post wires



