Stop Picking Winners And Losers

Government must resolve urgently the discriminatory list of businesses and services that can open in Level 3 while prohibiting trade by so many others regardless of their ability to comply with every safety, health and hygiene requirement.

“It is not the role of some agency to pick winners and losers like a pick and dip lottery,” says Auckland Business Chamber CEO, Michael Barnett. “People’s lives and livelihoods are being played with and some will not be able to survive round 2. They should not become victims of discrimination. Trust business to do the right thing.”

Mr Barnett said Government acted swiftly to mitigate the impact of Level 3 shutdowns by extending the wage subsidy and continuation of other financial support, it needs to resolve the current inequities on the list of what trade is permissible and what is prohibited.

“Businesses offering the same services and products as supermarkets cannot operate. Enterprises that do not need to be customer facing are closed for no rational reason. Government needs to play fair and implement clear, consistent and universal rules of trade for all and to ensure compliance, impose consequences.

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