Here's the data that shows Covid-19's impact in New Zealand

Friday, 8 May 2020

Unemployed migrant workers caught in the cracks amid the Covid-19 crisis say they're still not getting enough help from authorities here or in their home countries.

In April, the number of people on the jobseeker benefit increased, the cost of a hotel room in Queenstown nearly halved, and consumer confidence — a measure of people's feelings about the economy — was at a level last seen during the 2008 Global Financial Crisis.

These are just some statistics that reflect the consequences of the coronavirus pandemic, which has so far infected more than 1400 people in New Zealand and left 21 dead.

The country's economy, which was mostly closed for the four-week lockdown between March 26 and April 27, has borne a heavy brunt.

ANZ's business confidence index — a measure of the country's business conditions — has dropped to its lowest point since 1988.

* Coronavirus: Bunnings Warehouse cuts staff salaries and hours by 20%

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While the majority of new budget packages will be announced on Thursday, the Government has begun announcing some early.

Card spending, according to figures from BNZ, was down by 50.1 per cent during April, while on March 23, the day lockdown was announced, the New Zealand stock market closed at its lowest point in nearly two years.

Tourism Industry Aotearoa chief executive Chris Roberts warned this week up to half of tourism's 393,000 jobs could be lost without further Government intervention.

Retail NZ chief executive Greg Harford estimated 7500 retail workers have already lost their jobs, and he expected the number to rise 'substantially' once the Government's wage subsidy runs out.

On Wednesday, prime minister Jacinda Ardern said the 'global, one-in-100-year health and economic crisis' of Covid-19 would contribute to a rise in unemployment.

Grant Robertson warned when the 12-week wage subsidy was first announced he hoped to save some jobs, 'but we will not be able to save all jobs'.

As of May 1, the Government had paid out $10.6 billion of the wage subsidy to 1.72 million people.

Data from the Ministry of Social Development showed the number of people on the jobseeker benefit jumped from about 145,000 before lockdown to just over 184,000 at the start of May.

This is higher than the peak of the Global Financial Crisis, at 174,630.

Businesses want more support too. Two-thirds of 217 Restaurant Association members who completed a recent survey wanted rent relief and a business subsidy to help them survive.

Twenty-five of these respondents said they would permanently close their business.

Hospitality New Zealand chief executive Julie White said an extended wage subsidy and cashflow support could be the difference between 20 or 40 per cent of the industry closing.

Other sectors have been hit hard by coronavirus too.

Real Estate company Barfoot & Thompson showed an 86.4 per cent decrease in the number of house listings in Auckland during April compared to March.

Air New Zealand flew just 22 domestic flights a week during lockdown, down from the usual 400-plus each day.

On Friday, it was confirmed 300 of the airline's pilots would be made redundant while 900 would take a 30 per cent paycut.

Wellington Airport reported a 96 per cent drop in flights during April, while Christchurch Airport has seen passenger numbers drop by approximately 97 per cent.