TECNZ urges wage subsidy extension in tourism-targeted support

7th May 2020 By Shannon Williams | shannon@tourismticker.com | @tourismticker

The Tourism Export Council of New Zealand has called on the Government to extend the wage subsidy scheme beyond its initial 12-week period for tourism businesses.

Speaking on TECNZ’s health and wellbeing webinar Tuesday, chief executive Lynda Keene said it was clear from the outset that 12 weeks of wage subsidies would not be sufficient.

Lynda Keene

“This is something that from the minute the first wage subsidy was announced and we worked out the timing and if jobs would have to be laid off, that 12 weeks wasn’t going to be enough,” she said.

“So for the last six to eight weeks the industry representatives on Covid-19 Tourism Advisory Group have been lobbying very strongly to get the wage subsidy extended.”

Keene was part of the C19-TAG team made up of key representatives from industry groups including Tourism Industry Aotearoa, Tourism New Zealand, Regional Tourism New Zealand, Air New Zealand, and various airport groups and government agencies.

“We are hopeful that the wage subsidy will be extended,” Keene said.

“We don’t know if or when an announcement will be made. We have kind of heard through the channels that it may be, but the announcement could be weeks away, which suggests it could be Budget day on 14 May.”

She said among the initiatives and solutions the tag team had been trying to put forward to the Government was a tourism-specific support package.

“We still haven’t got the answer on whether that is going to be happening or not. All we’ve said is that businesses just need to know – will there be or won’t be?” she said.

“Perhaps something might come through on Thursday, but please be assured those around the table are advocating as strongly as we possibly can and we do hope we might have some good news to share.”