An employment of longer than 12 months should not be part of the criteria for the JobKeeper Scheme. It is unfair to place these restrictions on individuals who've lost their jobs, through no fault of their own, when JobSeekers have received bonuses and fortnightly increases even though they didn't have a job to lose.  Even New Zealanders on a 444 visa are eligible for this payment yet many Australians citizens are not.

Anyone who is employed and has been stood down because of COVID-19, should be eligible for the JobKeeper scheme regardless of how long they have worked for a particular employer.  Some businesses may be new and not yet 12 months old, maybe a job seeker has FINALLY managed to get a job in the last 6 months, or people may have just changed jobs and not yet worked for their latest employer for more than 12 months.  Maybe they needed a change from a job they'd previously held for 5 or more years!  It happens!

I myself am 8 days short of working for 1 year for a NEW business in my small rural town.  Previous to that I have held solid employment for 10 years, 5.5 years with one employer prior to my current job.  Jobs are not that easy to secure in a little country town and I certainly didn't bank on COVID-19 being a reason for job loss. I would still be going to work as would every other person whose employment has been affected by this pandemic. I am sure there are thousands of people affected by these restrictions and I would like to fight for all of those people, and myself, to get a fair deal, as Centrelink is not an option for us either.