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Association recommendations result in more support for industry

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It will be a welcomed relief to many businesses that the Government has agreed to continue their Resurgence Support Payments (RSP) until all of New Zealand has been at Alert Level 1 for at least a month.

The extension of the resurgence payment announced today is an overdue acknowledgement of the dire financial situation our hospitality businesses are currently in.

Restaurant Association CEO Marisa Bidois, worked with the Chamber of Commerce to advocate for the extension. Marisa also met with the Finance Minister, Minister of Tourism and the Minister of Small Business again today and received the green light to work on further details of our proposal for targeted support for our industry. More needs to be done to ensure the survival of businesses and this is a sign the Government is listening

The extension to eh RSP will provide some cashflow to businesses not only in Auckland but those who are experiencing drastically reduced trading due to the strict Alert Level 2.5 regulations.

“The resurgence payment is welcome and helpful but it still won’t be enough for many businesses. It has become clear that there should be a different level of government assistance for those businesses prevented by law from earning any income, to those who are able to work from home and keep revenue coming in.”

Restaurant Association CEO Marisa Bidois

The payment and eligibility criteria to qualify for the RSP remains the same:

  • Those that apply must experience at least a 30 percent decline in revenue over a seven day period.
  • The payment includes a per business rate of $1,500, plus $400 per employee, up to a total of 50 full-time equivalents (FTEs).
  • Applications for the next RSP will open on Friday 17 September. Ministers have agreed that there will be another two payments after that, three weeks apart, so long as the conditions that trigger the RSP apply.
  • Inland Revenue is urging businesses to ensure accuracy when applying as this can slow down your application being approved.

The Restaurant Association is continuing to call on the Government to consider establishing an operations lockout subsidy for employers: targeted support that will pass directly to business owners locked out of trading at Alert Level 4, 3 and 2 due to Government guidance.

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