On the back of the Australian Government’s latest set of COVID-19 announcements, there are some promising signs for young Australians – and society at large. But it looks like we’re going to be beaten to the cause by Trump and friends in the States if you can believe it.
Yep, it looks like a $1,200 tax rebate for individuals and $2,400 for couples, will be issued as part of a stimulus package by Senate Republicans in the good old US of A.
Individuals would get a tax rebate of $1,200 and married couples $2,400 under a draft of a massive stimulus plan drawn up by Senate Republicans https://t.co/6saoJuPXW6
— Bloomberg (@business) March 20, 2020
There’s still some rumour as to what that final amount will be, but it’s likely that it’ll be around that $1,000 mark. With a tonne of other western countries also looking at sweeping stimulus packages to help their citizens.
CORONAVIRUS
-USA: Releases $1 Trillion Emergency stimulus; to pay each citizen $1,000
-UK: Releases £330 Billion Business Loan Package
-Germany: Releases $600 billion stimulus
-Canada: Releases C$20b Economic Relief Package
-France: Releases €300b
-Nigeria: Wants to borrow $23b— Ikpinnnn (@ikpinnnn) March 19, 2020
Over here though? Looks like we’re quite a way off a sweeping stimulus for citizens in the way that other countries are offering.
There is a $750 rebate which you could be eligible (check here), but it’s got a fair few conditions to it. The government claim over six million Australians will be eligible for it, and that it’ll be automatically paid in mid-April.
So if there’s ever been a time to update your Centrelink, MyGov and all the other ridiculously painful government channels – it’d be now.
And this big stimulus push by Trump has definitely shocked a lot of people Stateside. I mean it’s pretty off-brand for him, it’s almost ironic given some of the policy decisions by his administration over the last four years.
So of course, people are speculating if it’s a massive pre-election power-play by big Don to strengthen his re-election chances. And well, it all makes a bit more sense now.
I hope Trump reads this and realizes the only way to save his presidency and own the libs is to push a truly massive stimulus that gets real money *into the hands of the most vulnerable* immediately.
A payroll tax cut and airline bailout won’t do it. https://t.co/OQ53LxueFJ
— Ezra Klein (@ezraklein) March 17, 2020
Trump wants direct payments of $1,000 for adults, $500 for kids in coronavirus stimulus bill, immediately with more to come in following months if the emergency situation will persist.https://t.co/zorQKSHhMN
— Sara A. Carter (@SaraCarterDC) March 19, 2020
Either way, if this citizen stimulus goes through – which is still very much up for debate, with strong uncertainty by some in the Senate – it’ll be needed relief in a tough time. Let’s hope we see something similar from the Morrison government before it’s too late.
Image Source: Twitter Stillness in the Storm @SITSSHOW
