24 August 2021
Southland Chamber of Commerce Frustrated at Lack of Lockdown Clarity
Three or four day level 4 restrictions are starting to frustrate Southland businesses.
Southland Chamber of Commerce chief executive Sheree Carey said: “I think people are getting frustrated because we’re not getting any certainty, if we were like Auckland, and they said ‘definitely, you’re in it for two weeks’, people would learn to live with that, they would know what financial assistance they needed to get them through.”
“But saying on Monday we’ll tell you again on Friday and then saying on Friday we’ll tell you again on Monday, it’s just not helpful.”
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern on Monday afternoon announced New Zealand would stay in Level 4 until at least Friday at 11.59pm, but Auckland was extended to Tuesday, August 31, at 11.59pm.
Carey said some people had withheld from applying for financial assistance in the initial three days after level 4 restrictions were announced, but now accountants were getting busier with businesses trying to access wage subsidies.
The Ministry of Social Development was unable to say on Tuesday how many Southland businesses had applied for the wage subsidy.
But among them was Fat Bastard Pies, an Invercargill-based business which would also apply for the newly introduced Resurgence Support Payment – a one-off Government payment to help cover rent and other costs.
Fat Bastard Pies marketing manager Simon Owen said they and other hospitality businesses couldn’t work from home during lockdown so it was important to tap into Government support when offered.
Having no income to pay staff during lockdown could ruin a little cafe or bakery which was why the wage subsidy was key.
With the initial lockdown on August 17 announced just hours before it began, Fat Bastard Pies, which hires six staff, lost a “ridiculous” amount of food which it had pre-prepared for the following day.
It was a cost the business could not recover, but the Resurgence Support Payment would help pay for fixed costs such as rent, he indicated.
Carey encourged all Southland businesses affected by the lockdown to apply for any Government support available.
“A lot of businesses out there have got no revenue coming in and they have still got outgoings.”
Carey said an additional worry for the business community was the lack of clarity given by the government on what alert level the South Island would drop to if no cases were detected in the community by Friday.
“If there are no cases, well does that mean we’ll go to level 2? Because level 2 or level 3 is a big difference, level 2 is a completely different story for businesses,” she said.
“That’s the difference between the restaurants and the local retailer opening their doors and letting customers in, albeit social distance and all the regulations with masks and signing in and everything, but it means they can actually open their doors.”
The unknowns made it hard for businesses to plan both staffing and supplies, and finding out Friday afternoon they would be able to open on a Monday would be difficult for businesses to coordinate, she said.
“You’re never going to get certainty, it’s a pandemic, but the longer periods of time would be good, rather than the short three or four days, that’s just frustrating for businesses,” she said.
After the extension was announced on Monday, Air New Zealand said it would continue to operate a reduced schedule of flights across the country.
Customers who are booked to travel during Alert Level 4 do not need to do anything. They will receive a cancellation email, and their booking will be held in credit. Customers will have 12 months from the day their credit is processed to book a flight, and another 12 months to travel. Those who have booked through a third party will need to contact their agent.
Those who need to travel while the country is at Alert Level 4 should check their eligibility on the Government’s COVID-19 website. Customers who meet the criteria and still wish to travel should call the Air New Zealand Contact Centre who will assist with their booking. Customers will also need to carry a letter or evidence confirming they are travelling for essential purposes.
Published by Stuff.co.nz – 24 August 2021