By suck up the costs I believe the parent is referring not just to the economic pain but also the cost of the extensive and unprecedented government support tha

By suck up the costs I believe the parent is referring not just to the economic pain but also the cost of the extensive and unprecedented government support that Australia and NZ (and even in fact the UK) made. Unemployment benefits and the aged pension were raised significantly, employers were paid a subsidy to continue to employ people of income dropped by 30% or more from the jan quarter 12 months earlier - and the support is clacheduled to continue until March at present. This was also exceptionally well distributed and applied in almost no time.