Cyclone-hit businesses to start receiving Govt relief 'within a week'

Tuesday, 21 February 2023

The $50 million package will include discretionary funding for businesses and the primary sector.

Cyclone-affected businesses will begin receiving payments from the Government’s $50 million relief package within a week, Finance Minister Grant Robertson says.

Robertson shared details of the interim relief package during Prime Minister Chris Hipkins’ regular post-Cabinet press conference on Monday.

The package was expected to include discretionary funding for flood recovery, business continuity, and support for resiliency and mental wellbeing for businesses and the primary sector.

Tax relief, including interest write-offs and filing date waivers, would also be provided to those in cyclone affected regions.

**READ MORE:

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The package was intended to provide businesses with quick, easy cash flow to address immediate needs in the wake of Cyclone Gabrielle, Robertson said.

“Within a week, some of those businesses will be receiving what they need to tide them over.”

While the package was not intended to subsidise wages, a formal wage subsidy scheme could be considered at a later date, he said.

Robertson stressed that the disaster had had an 'enormous impact' and the interim funding would give both businesses and the Government time to consider what longer term support was needed.

There would be a “rolling maul” of announcements on cyclone recovery, he said.

'The investment into this response, and the recovery and rebuild that follows will be significant.'