The New South Wales government has acted to protect jobs in some of the state’s hardest hit businesses by expanding its JobSaver business support program, Business Council of Australia chief executive Jennifer Westacott said.

“This decision will help large tourism, hospitality and recreation employers doing it tough during prolonged lockdowns survive. These sectors, and the workers in them, have borne the brunt of the ongoing restrictions needed to contain the virus since the onset of the pandemic.

“The expansion of JobSaver will help safeguard jobs. We also need to protect the viability of these sectors which are critical to NSW’s cultural identity and ensure they are in a position to restart when restrictions lift and the economy reopens.

“The changes expand the JobSaver program for businesses in these sectors with turnover from $250 million to $1 billion.

“Once again, we thank the NSW government for listening to the concerns of business on behalf of their employees.

“NSW is continuing to respond positively to the challenges of the pandemic and ensuring the state, which is the nation’s economic engine, will be in a good position to recover once the majority of Australians are vaccinated.’’