Australia Jacky Pham and his wife lost their jobs due to the blockade in Covid-19, had to skip a meal, save to pay 1,400 AUD / month rent.

Jacky Pham and her husband are both manicurists.

"I'm in a difficult situation because of Covid-19. I don't have enough money to pay the rent," Jacky said.

Jacky said he contacted the Harcourts rental company about losing his earnings on March 26.

Two months after losing their job, the Vietnamese couple still had to pay the rent in full.

"I informed the company that I didn't have enough money and had to borrow money from friends and family. That's why I paid one day late," he said.

The Harcourts company director confirmed that Jacky had informed his financial situation and offered to reduce his rent.

Australia currently records nearly 7,100 nCoV infections, of which 101 died.

As a foreign citizen and not yet a permanent resident, Jacky is not eligible to receive government assistance during a pandemic.

On May 19, the Tasmanian government announced that residents and visa holders must spend at least 1/3 of their income on rent, have less than 5,000 AUD in savings, and prove that they are "extremely difficult"

The assistance amount will be paid at a time of AUD 2,000 or cover the rent for 4 weeks and can also be extended to those who are not in the Tenancy Act.

Justice Minister Elise Archer said many people do not have access to the employment support program in Covid-19 and the new bailout package benefits those who have previously fallen into this situation.

"We believe there are still people who are extremely difficult and need additional help with rent," she said.

Archer estimates that there are about 1,000 Tasmanian tenants who need assistance and need around 1.5 million AUD to meet the payment.

Ben Bartl, a lawyer for the Tasmanian Tenant Association, said that about 26,000 people like Jacky in Tasmania are not supported by the government during the global pandemic.

"Every day we receive calls from people who cannot pay rent. There are cases where landlords ask them to sell properties to pay," he said.

He applauded the Tasmanian government for offering a rent subsidy package but said that they should have acted earlier.

"We know that this initiative will be implemented until June 30, that is when the emergency is expected to end," he said.

Jacky's owner said he could not return to work after the blockade order was lifted.

"I will definitely apply for a rent reduction package. With this financial assistance, I can continue to pay rent until I find a new job," he said.

Updated: 21:21, 22/5 | Source: WorldOMeters