Time to name and shame companies that profited and kept JobKeeper

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As federal Labor’s shadow Treasurer Andrew Leigh has pointed out, companies including luxury car dealer AP Eagers made a $218m profit for the six months to June 2021. Yet, it has failed to repay $130 million in JobKeeper subsidies. Leigh has publicised many similar examples and has rightly questioned the disconnect between the government demanding money back from welfare recipients who received JobKeeper, while allowing wastage by big corporates.

Since the virus pandemic hit last year, the federal government’s billion-dollar JobKeeper scheme has been a highly successful policy that helped hundreds of thousands of businesses and millions of workers keep their heads above water.

But, like other policies made hastily in response to an economic emergency, flaws have emerged in the rush to get the money flowing, resulting in waste. This was also apparent during the Global Financial Crisis.

Toyota Australia needed little prompting before it voluntarily gave back $18 million to the Australian Tax Office earlier this year. Neither did Super Retail, which operates Rebel and BCF stores, which handed back $1.7 million. Domain, which is majority-owned by Nine Entertainment Co, owner of the Herald, last month said it would pay back JobKeeper funds it had received.

While many others who have refused to follow their example are not required to repay the taxpayer, the Herald believes they are under an ethical obligation to do so. The names of large businesses that flout public opinion and refuse to repay money they didn’t need are also contributing to the nation’s debt and should appear on a public register that exposes their greed.