Covid-19 Blockade Extension: How New Zealand’s Industries, Politicians, and Public Reacted

04/20/2020 Newzealand



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New Zealanders largely welcomed the government’s decision to move to level 3 next week, but there has been some criticism of extending level 4 until then.

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Photo: 123RF

Organizations representing New Zealanders in many types of work also called for more clarity on the rules, including what they can do this week to prepare for Level 3, and whether those at high risk would receive support to stay home.

This is one of the reactions so far.

Education

Educators have asked the government to release the health risk information it has used to decide that schools can reopen at level 3.

NZEI Te Riu Roa said the union had asked the Ministry of Education to publish the full public health risk assessment on which its guidelines for the sector were based, so that educators could be better informed.

Director-General for Health Ashley Bloomfield said today that Covid-19 did not affect children and teens as much as others. They had lower infection rates, were not so bad if they contracted the virus compared to other age groups, and did not tend to transmit the virus to adults.

The Early Childhood Council also wanted the Ministry of Health to show its work in transmitting carriers in young children.

Its executive director, Peter Reynolds, said the council will continue to call the centers to remain closed until level 2 until it has the guarantees it needs.

“No one wants to become the next group and put vulnerable communities or family members at risk. We cannot find evidence that it is safe to open it, and there are several reported cases of young children contracting the disease that are difficult to ignore, ” he said.

“There is a great deal of anxiety throughout the ECE community, that they feel compelled to open their doors when it is not safe to do so.”

The council was also concerned about the lack of details from the Ministry of Education on how to keep the bubbles of children under 5 separate. “Do we put kids on Zorbs?” Asked Reynolds.

Both NZEI Te Riu Roa and the Auckland Secondary School Directors Association said they expected most children to still learn from home.

National and ACT respond

National leader Simon Bridges said the Level 4 extension showed that the government had not done the preliminary work to be ready to move to Level 3 this week.

“New Zealand is falling behind because the government has not used this time to ensure best testing and tracing practices and the availability of PPE has not been at the level it should have been.”

National leader Simon Bridges speaks to the media during a press conference in Parliament on April 9, 2020 in Wellington, New Zealand.

Photo: Pool / Getty Images

“The testing rate for the first half of the blockade was low, work has only just begun on surveillance tests to confirm whether community transmission is taking place. Tracing is the biggest challenge and experts have identified the main deficiencies in the methods used by the government. “

“It is a real shame as companies will suffer more damage and that will lead to poor health outcomes as a result of the enormous stress this will cause to many people.”

ACT leader David Seymour said New Zealand was spending another week locked up because the government was unable to properly follow up on contacts.

“Jacinda Ardern has said that the transmission rate for Covid-19 is now 0.48. As long as it is below 1, the virus is disappearing. This shows that the government has been too aggressive, at great economic and social cost.”

“The delay is actually due to the government failing to bring its contact tracking skills to an adequate level. It has nothing to do with additional certainty, because there is no indication that this decision could change if the results of our tests deteriorate between now and Monday. ” “

Now the focus needs to be renewed on the sectors that remained severely restricted at level 3, he said.

“Sectors like tourism, hospitality, some retailers and event centers will now bear most of the cost for a broader public benefit. In these circumstances, there is a stronger case for specific support for those sectors that cannot operate. even at alert level 3 “.

Unions

The Council of Trade Unions said it was important that workers at increased risk of serious illness could stay home and remain in their safe bubble below level 3.

Its president, Richard Wagstaff, said the government needed to provide workers and employers with clear advice on what a change to Level 3 meant for those at high risk.

“Working people need the following assurances: that people can be easily identified if they are at high risk, that the essential worker allowance is extended to cover all employees so that any employer can apply, and that employers foresee an increase related to Covid-19 sick leave, “Wagstaff said.

“It is very important that no one be financially penalized for taking steps to prevent the spread of Covid-19. We all have to do everything possible to assist in the eradication of Covid-19, including supporting kiwis who are most at risk.” .

Hospitality

Hospitality New Zealand Executive Director Julie White said level 3 restrictions would be too limiting for the survival of many companies and that the government needed to step up with specific support from the sector, particularly with income relief.

“Even for those who can operate during level 3, it is highly unlikely that their income will cover costs such as rent, and most are already carrying debt debts that they have been incurring since the number of tourists began to drop. January”.

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Hospitality NZ says wage subsidy is not enough for many companies to survive to level 3
Photo: 123RF

Companies that could operate at level 3 were doing their best to be ready, he said.

“It will take a huge commitment from operators to pivot and set up things like distribution systems and contactless payments. It will also require staff acceptance, for example, baristas might have to become delivery drivers, and will be supported by New New Zealanders are patronizing their local businesses, or it simply won’t be feasible for most of these businesses to operate under these conditions. “

Industry

Association of Employers and Manufacturers Association executive director Brett O’Riley said the move to Level 3 struck a good balance between New Zealand’s health and economy.

He said that companies with international connections started early in crisis management and business continuity, so they were ready to start.

“For others, it is now a matter of narrowing down their process to be more profitable with what they can do, and ensuring that their plan to keep their people safe is airtight.”

While manufacturers and construction workers would be satisfied with the decision, the retail sector was disappointed by the restrictions below level 3. The retail sector must operate without contact.

“Many are confident that they can manage with entry and exit policies and other management measures, such as registration, and we hope that the government is open to considering this,” O’Riley said.

Retail NZ Chief Executive Greg Harford said the retail sector would have difficulty at level 3.

He said Control that online trading was often only a fraction of a retailer’s normal trading, and about a quarter of companies were unable to trade online.

Road transport forum

The Road Transport Forum said it was disappointed that companies had to wait another week before resuming below level 3.

Road cargo truck squeezing across a rail bridge.

There will be many more vehicles on the road when level 3 goes into action
Photo: RNZ Insight / Tracy Neal

Its chief executive, Nick Leggett, also said that more clarity was needed on how companies could plan to be below level 3, and the prime minister said the situation would be reviewed again after two weeks at level 3.

“What happens then? Business preparation is important, particularly around the receipt of goods so that companies can open and manage the number of personnel.

“Like many companies, particularly small and medium-sized companies, road freight transport has suffered under the Level 4 Alert Block.

“Some of those businesses may not recover and, unfortunately, that will spell trouble for business owners and workers they will have to let go of. The longer the closure, the more businesses will close and the more people will become unemployed. “

However, he said that many forestry, wood-processing, construction and manufacturing companies could resume at level 3, which “will mean a lot of movement of cargo.”

Forestry

The Forest Owners Association said it supported level 4 restrictions that considered it a nonessential industry, but that now was the time to go back to work.

Its president Phil Taylor said there had been a “collaborative process” to develop security protocols throughout the supply chain.

“New Zealand’s wood processing industry has an entire month of virtually no production that needs to catch up.”

“Some processors have already started producing for essential industries, such as making pallets for fruit exporters. But there will be thousands of jobsites in New Zealand that are eager for new wood supplies and construction workers willing to go back to work and get income as soon as they can. “

Taylor said the association was seeking clarification from the government on what work it could do in the next week to prepare for level 3.

The New Zealand audience

How do New Zealanders feel about spending another week locked up? Control Reporter Nita Blake-Persen asked locals at Auckland’s Gray Lynn Park.

The news was largely received by New Zealanders on Twitter, with many saying it was a lighter version of level four and they encouraged each other to stay safe and follow the rules.

Many also expected takeout.



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