SYDNEY (Reuters) – Australia will take a 10% hit to gross domestic product and the unemployment rate will likely double in the June quarter due to measures to limit the spread of the new coronavirus, Treasurer Josh Frydenberg will say in a speech on Tuesday. FILE PHOTO: A handful of tourists stand atop the mostly deserted steps of the Sydney Opera House, (COVID-19), in Sydney, Australia, March 18, 2020. REUTERS/Loren Elliott The world’s 12th-biggest economy will lose about A$4 billion (£2.09 billion) every week due to restrictions on movement and economic activity, according to excerpts of the treasurer’s speech seen by Reuters. But the impact would have been a lot worse if Australia – with more than 6,800 coronavirus infections and 96 deaths – had followed Europe’s example and imposed stricter controls on all non-essential services, he is expected to say. “If these restrictions were increased even further, akin to the eight week lockdown in Europe, then the adverse impact on GDP could double to 24%, or A$120 billion, in the June quarter,” the treasurer will say in his prepared remarks. “This would have seen enormous stress on our financial system as a result of increased balance sheet impairments, widespread… Read full this story
- Great Barrier Reef: Australia says Unesco decision shows it is a 'world leader'
- Jaguars can’t curb costly mistakes in loss to Broncos
- Australia's Secret History as a White Utopia
- The Liebke Ratings: South Africa vs Australia, fourth Test
- Trump says he'll meet with Xi at the G20 this month in Japan before hitting China with $325 billion in new tariffs
- The Latest: Putin says opposition must have positive program
- Vinalines to open container shipping centre next week
- Great Barrier Reef outlook now 'very poor', Australian government review says
- Australia's spy agencies targeted Indonesian president's mobile phone
- AP Exclusive: ‘Bathroom bill’ to cost North Carolina $3.76B
Australia says coronavirus curbs cost economy £2.09 billion a week have 294 words, post on www.reuters.com at May 5, 2020. This is cached page on CuBird. If you want remove this page, please contact us.