Nearly 50,000 Kiwis have lost their jobs with regional economies taking a substantial hit following the Level 4 lockdown.
The latest Infometrics Quarterly Economic Monitor shows economic activity has fallen in all regions, but Otago was hit hardest in the June 2020 quarter with a 15.6 per cent drop due to the collapse of tourism.
Regional economies with a strong primary sector have held up better as the country’s exports continue to feed the rest of the world.
It comes as Auckland’s latest lockdown appears to be affecting businesses in other regions , too. Small towns near the city’s borders say they’re struggling without the flow of people that normally travel in and out of Auckland each day.
The impact of the financial burdens being felt by many Kiwi families was also revealed yesterday as Children’s Commissioner Andrew Becroft discussed the growing number of students leaving school in recent months to help their families pay the bills .
Mr Becroft says it speaks well of young people that they’re willing to put family first but says it’s “[robbing] them of an education and a future”.
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Early lockdown ruled unlawful
A judgment from the High Court has found the Government exceeded its powers in telling Kiwis to stay home for the first nine days of lockdown earlier this year.
The ruling states that while the order was a "necessary, reasonable and proportionate response" to the pandemic, it was unlawful until a law change on April 3.
The High Court says its ruling has no effect on restrictions after that date, including the current lockdown in Auckland.
Military replaces security guards
There’s frustration for hundreds of private security guards as the Government moves to replace them with military personnel at isolation facilities.
Five hundred extra defence force personnel will be deployed to those facilities , with Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern saying the move has been worked on for “some time” and will “raise accountability and give more central control over procedures”.
NZ Security Association CEO Gary Morrison says the industry is very disappointed with the move and a lack of communication around it.
Meanwhile, New Zealand First says a new border control agency needs to be created to focus on keeping Covid-19 at bay.
The party says they will implement what they’re calling the New Zealand Border Force if re-elected to government.
Winston Peters says a new centralised Force will “focus our government efforts in a single line of attack”. He’s also proposing moving quarantine locations from hotels to military facilities.
National is set to release its border policy later today.
Govt brings in heavy hitters
Jacinda Ardern has announced a small team co-chaired by Helen Clark’s former top adviser Heather Simpson and Sir Brian Roche will help the Ministry of Health bolster its border testing.
The Prime Minister says the group is intended to support the large amount of work around Cabinet’s testing strategy.
Opposition leader Judith Collins is less than impressed with the move , saying the team is “another working group”.
Meanwhile, authorities are still tracking the spread of Auckland’s latest Covid-19 outbreak with five new community cases confirmed yesterday.
Two Countdown supermarkets were closed for extra cleaning yesterday after it was revealed a person who later tested positive for the virus had shopped there.
Two tourism spots have also had brushes with the virus, with Whangārei’s Kiwi North and the Hobbiton movie set also reporting visits from a person who later tested positive for Covid-19.
Airline investigates claims
Air New Zealand says it’s investigating after allegations a flight attendant breached Auckland’s Level 3 lockdown to fly to Wellington as a passenger.
Some staff have expressed their “disgust” at the alleged “abuse of privilege” putting others at risk.
It comes as questions are raised over testing and isolation protocols for international air crew.
Health Minister Chris Hipkins met with Air New Zealand about those procedures yesterday, but the airline says it’s confident its Covid-19 precautions are working.
Other news of note this morning:
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has backtracked on earlier claims a Covid-19 vaccine would be mandatory .
Former US Vice President Joe Biden has been officially nominated as the Democratic candidate for November’s election.
More than 25 Auckland high schools are set to reopen under Level 3 restrictions, leaving many teachers concerned.
Stuff reports Covid-19 travel restrictions could delay the construction of New Zealand’s first Costco store.
Britney Spears has asked a court to remove her father from the conservator role he’s held since 2008.
And an international team of scientists say they’ve taken a big step in potentially saving northern white rhinos from extinction.
And finally...
You gotta take the good news wherever you can find it these days.
And one piece of good news to emerge from the global pandemic is the universal acceptance of the trackpant.
With the shift towards working from home during lockdown and beyond, Kiwis are embracing their trackies like never before – so much so, Seven Sharp has found they’re selling out around the country .
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