Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Treasurer Josh Frydenberg on Friday announced an around 15-billion-Australian dollar (10.8-billion-U.S. dollar) boost for the JobKeeper wage subsidy scheme.
The vast majority of the funding will be spent subsidizing the wages of hundreds of thousands of Victorians, with eligibility criteria for the scheme to be eased.
It takes the total cost of the scheme to 101.3 billion Australian dollars (73 billion U.S. dollars).
Morrison said the government was doing whatever it took to save lives and save livelihoods.
"Australia is facing a situation that is constantly changing. Our response is to get the right support to all those Australian families, workers and businesses that need us, as these circumstances change," Morrison said in a media release.
"This means more support for more workers and more businesses for longer, as we battle this latest Victorian wave."
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