Young Apprentices During COVID-19

03 August 2021

If you have a go, you get a go, according to the glib Morrison government lines, but not if you're a 16-year-old apprentice and you've lost your income because of the Sydney COVID lockdown. That lockdown has happened because of this government's failure on two jobs: to get purpose-built quarantine facilities and have an effective vaccine rollout. Were it not for that, Travis, Liam and Joshua, who live in the Hawkesbury, would all still be working, but they have paid the price. As 16-year-old first-year apprentices, they found they weren't eligible for the COVID disaster payment. They were shocked that they'd miss out, their families were shocked that they'd miss out, and their bosses were shocked that they'd miss out. Why would they? They work and learn full time. Like other work