Scott Morrison struck the right tone with his response to the nation's latest "devastating" job figures.

The Prime Minister reminded us that behind the numbers are a lot of people who are doing it tough.

"This recession will be written in the stories of those who are experiencing terrible hardship and these statistics today are a reminder to all - not that we need one - that with all the other noise about whatever else is going on, our task is simple," Mr Morrison said.

"And that is we must get Australians back into work."

There has been some criticism over the course of the coronavirus pandemic that we should not be so concerned with the economic side of the equation.

It goes without saying that our first priority should always have been, and remains, to save lives from what is a deadly virus.

Yet we should also be far from dismissive about the toll this is taking on the lives of many from the shutdowns of not only businesses but entire industries.

Government support, particularly through the bold JobKeeper and temporarily boosted JobSeeker payments, is not a panacea for all.

Many would, as the Prime Minister said, be experiencing hardship, and he did warn us of this when he first spoke of the pandemic as being two crises in one. Importantly, he was measured in his comments.

Some comfort could be taken, he said, from the fact the dire job figures were for a period that ended just before the country started to lift restrictions.

That said there's a lot of small and large business owners who are wondering if the easing of restrictions is really going to have the positive impact the government, and all of us, hope it will.

But he balanced all of that by acknowledging that none of this was any comfort if you have lost your job and most of us know people in this boat.

Mr Morrison argues forcefully that we need to get Australians back into work, and has committed his government to working every day to doing just that.

The message is spot on - the challenge remains in the execution.

HAVE YOUR SAY: Do you have something to get off your chest? Send your letters to the editor to letters@dailyadvertiser.com.au or submit them via this form.