This fact sheet discusses how the key fiscal policy responses of the Australian federal and state governments have tried to address the impact of the pandemic on financial wellbeing.

While there are some areas for improvement, to date the response from government has protected many of the most vulnerable. The authors focus on the nature of the responses – in particular, the way that the responses can be understood as focused on problems, rather than guided by broader principles of what kind of society we want to build and live in.