The ACT government has expanded its public sector employment scheme, offering 100 new positions to Canberrans who have lost their jobs amid the COVID-19 crisis.
Chief Minister Andrew Barr will on Tuesday announce an $8 million extension to the government's $20 million Jobs for Canberrans program.
The funding boost means the program will now create almost 500 short-term public service jobs, including in cleaning, maintenance and bushfire recovery work.
The program was announced in early April as part of the Barr government's first wave of economic support to help the territory weather the COVID-19 crisis.
It was designed to provide employment opportunities to those Canberrans who had lost their jobs amid the crisis but were ineligible for the federal government's JobKeeper wage subsidy scheme, such as causal workers, international students and visa holders.
Some 26 Canberrans have been hired through the program as ACT Parks and Conservation rangers, tasked with completing repair work in Namadgi National Park in the wake of the devastating Orroral Valley fire.
More than 500 people applied for those roles.
Access Canberra has employed a further 17 people, who have been answering calls to the COVID-19 helpline. More than 10,000 calls have been answered through the helpline since it was established in early April.
"By supporting more Canberrans through employment, we are providing a direct cash support to struggling households who are also able to make a significant contribution to our community," Mr Barr said.
"This will lead to more money being spent in our local economy, helping to drive the economic recovery."
The ACT government has stepped up efforts in the past fortnight to support sectors hit hard by the downturn, announcing a $6 million package to help Canberra's ailing hospitality industry and making further stamp duty cuts in a bid to spur more residential construction.
Mr Barr has also foreshadowed a major new public and social housing program.
