The country’s first stimulus package since the 2008 global financial crisis, which helped Australia avert a recession then, illustrates the lengths the government will take to pare the economic impact of the outbreak. Despite only affecting about 120 people in Australia so far, economists are expecting the widening epidemic to cause a recession in the second quarter. Our $17.6 billion economic plan in response to #coronavirus is about keeping Australians in jobs, keeping businesses in business and supporting households to ensure we bounce back stronger on the other side. ApprenticesThe government is dedicating $1.3 billion to keep almost 120,000 apprentices in jobs, with up to $21,000 per apprentice in wage assistance. Australia had 112 virus infections as of Wednesday, up from 100 the previous day, with three deaths, health officials said.

Source: Huffington Post March 12, 2020 01:33 UTC