An analysis by the Grattan Institute has revealed that some electorates are estimated to have lost more than 11% of jobs since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Illustrating the potential political damage for the government if it cuts off economic stimulus too soon, job losses are concentrated in regional and rural NSW and Queensland, with nine of the 10 hardest-hit seats in Coalition-held seats.
This may be due to a larger proportion of jobs in these areas being in industries hardest hit by the coronavirus crisis – tourism and hospitality.
The governor of the Reserve Bank has warned the government the jobkeeper program may need to be kept going beyond its current cut-off date to avoid the Australian economy falling off a cliff.
Here’s the map of estimated job losses by electorate, with an explanation of how it was calculated in the notes:
