Paying $1500 a fortnight to as many as six million people looks a lot like a universal basic income, but unions expect the Morrison's government "historic" JobKeeper payment won't mean lasting change.

Australia's unions are adamant JobKeeper should not be mistaken for a UBI, a radical concept under which everyone in a country is paid a living wage by the government, regardless of whether they work, often instead of targeted welfare programs.

Victorian Trades Hall Council secretary Luke Hilakari sees JobKeeper as a "win" but argues it covers too few people and provides too little money to be called a UBI. Credit:Simon Schluter

Mark Morey, secretary of Unions NSW, argues JobKeeper is not a UBI in one key aspect. It is not enough, he said, for many people with families and mortgages to live on.

"I just don’t think that [a UBI] works with people predominantly because people get their identity through work, through a job rather than sitting at home getting a handout from the government," Mr Morey said.