Australia's federal govt to cut COVID-19 income support

FILE PHOTO: A grocery store employee wearing a vest with social distancing guidelines printed on the back looks on, as police officers check a man in the city centre during a lockdown to curb the spread of a coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in Sydney, Australia, September 28, 2021. REUTERS/Loren Elliott

SYDNEY (Reuters) - Australia's federal government will wind down emergency funding for people who lost work during COVID-19 shutdowns as vaccination rates increase across the country, putting pressure on state and territory leaders to keep their economies open.

The decision to cut off federal support when inoculation levels reach 80% means individual states and territories would have to foot the bill if they decide to go into lockdown in response to any fresh outbreaks of the coronavirus.