In March 2020, the Commonwealth Government committed to implementing the JobKeeper program – a fiscal support measure that subsidised eligible employees’ wages at a rate of $1500 per eligible employee per fortnight.

The JobKeeper program has been essential in enabling employers to retain staff in preparation for a return to a degree of economic normality once the worst of COVID-19 has subsided.

On September 28, $1500/fn payment for all eligible employees will be reduced to $1200/fn for employees working over 20 hours per week, and to $750/fn for employees working less than 20 hours per week.

This paper calculates the reduction of the JobKeeper payment after September 28. Utilising post-code level data on rate of JobKeeper uptake, the paper identifies localised economic impacts of reduction in fiscal support for the economy, as well as state/territory totals and national figures.