Calls to reward Aussies $300 cash if vaccinated by December
There have been calls to reward Australians who get the Covid jab $300 if they are vaccinated by December.
Federal Opposition leader Anthony Albanese said in a statement he is proposing the Morrison government “roll up its sleeves in the race to vaccinate the nation”.
“Vaccinations are a race Australians can no longer afford to lose,” the Labor leader said.
“The faster this is achieved, the faster the recovery as we emerge from lockdowns that are bleeding hundreds of millions of dollars a day from the nation’s finances.”
The Morrison Government must make vaccines easily accessible to meet their target to vaccinate 80 per cent of adults.”
Mr Albanese proposed a $300 one-off payment to every Australian vaccinated by December 1.
He added the payment would stimulate businesses and alleviate financial stress for individuals suffering in lockdown.
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The Leader of the Opposition was asked by Nine’s Today Show on Tuesday how much the incentive would cost and he predicts it would cost $6 billion if everyone was vaccinated and $5 billion if 80 per cent was.
“But that's a small amount compared with the $2 billion a week that these mass lockdowns are costing our national economy,” Mr Albanese told The Today Show.
“This is something that we need to do. We need to get our vaccination rates up.”
'Insulting' plan slammed by Finance Minister
However, Finance Minister Simon Birmingham slammed the suggestion.
"The evidence says this is unnecessary and won't work. Frankly, it is insulting to the many millions of Australians who have already turned out to get a jab and they have done so because they know that this is the best way to protect their lives, the lives of their loved ones and the lives of their loved ones and the lives of the rest of the community," Mr Birmingham told the program.
The minister added Australians "have always embraced vaccination".
Greater Sydney and South East Queensland are both currently in lockdown due to breakouts of the Delta Covid-19 variant.
On Friday, the national cabinet gave in-principle approval to a full vaccination plan of 70 per cent that would see border restrictions ease and city-wide lockdowns become unlikely, although no deadline was agreed.
When 80 per cent of the population is vaccinated it will be time to open international borders to equally protected nations.
The nation's vaccine co-ordinator said there were more than a million and half doses of AstraZeneca ready for use and being shipped out as orders come in.
"We are saying every Australian who wants access to a first dose will have that opportunity this year," Lieutenant General John Frewen told Sky News.
"I think with the supply that is coming on, we have got a really fantastic chance to get the vast amount of Australians fully vaccinated this year if they choose to do so."
Only around 19 per cent of Australians have been fully vaccinated so far.
with AAP
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