Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has relented in the face of pressure from state leaders to extend government-backed leave payments for individuals needing to isolate themselves after contracting COVID-19.
The move comes after the Labor government originally planned to allow the scheme to expire on June 30—now, it will be extended until September 30 at a cost of $780 million (US$530 million) to the budget, which the government had vowed to get under control.
