Dairies Get Vaccination Priority As Crime Spikes

As New Zealand prepares for split Covid Alert Levels 3 and 4, dairy owners, workers and family members have been granted vaccination  priority as dairy owners deal with the worst and best parts of New Zealand society.

“We wish to give a bouquet to both Countdown and to the Ministry of Health,” says Sunny Kaushal, Chair of the Dairy and Business Owners  Group.

“It has been recognised that our people are definitely on the Covid-19  frontline. Out of 504 locations of interest, 10 now involve dairies  and service stations.

“It might have taken a week since we first asked for vaccination  priority, but dairies no have vaccination priority. We’d like to thank  Countdown for interceding on our behalf with the Ministry of Health. This is the grocery sector, big and small, acting as one team  for the team of 5 Million.

"Registered stores have been emailed and non-registered stores are  asked to register at www.dairyowners.org.nz so that we can provide  details over how to secure vaccination priority.

“This positive step forward comes sadly after an Auckland dairy, run  by elderly owners, was ram raided with that store suffering  catastrophic damage. There’s something sick that criminals would do  this at all and especially when their fellow Kiwi are struggling to  get hold of the basics.

“Both the Dairy and Business Owners Group and the Crime Prevention  Group believe that the Independent Police Conduct Authority needs to  see its mandate changed. There's too much focus on complaints against  our hard-working Police instead of directing better policing in  support of law-abiding citizens and small businesses.

“At the other end of the spectrum, a dairy owner in Masterton has told  us how pleased they are over the public support they have had from the  communities that their two dairies serve. Kiwis appreciative of the  hard work that dairy owners put in.

“For non-dairy and service station businesses, we are asking for the Government to repeat the business Resurgence Support Payment Business  Resurgence Payment every two weeks during Level 4 and Level 3.

"The one-off sums so far would barely cover a week’s outgoings for  many retail businesses. These are businesses that will continue to be  closed under Level-4 and will have sharply reduced revenue under  Level-3 with the risk of more lockdowns ever-present,” Mr Kaushal added.

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