Covid-19: Auckland hospitality businesses want more support - a podcast by RNZ

Dozens of cafe, resturant and venue owners in central Auckland say they are on the brink of bankruptcy, with the looming Omicron wave keeping customers away.
More than 60 have signed an open letter to the Finance Minister Grant Robertson calling for more support.
Even though they can operate in the red Covid-19 setting, they say business has never been quieter and without help, more than half of what they call the city's cultural infrastructure will cease to exist.
Political reporter Katie Scotcher has more. Finance Minister Grant Robertson responded with a statement.
He said: "The Government is continually monitoring the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on businesses, including up to date sales data.
"As with the recently announced arts and creative sector package the Governemnt is considering whether targeted support for some sectors is necessary."
He said the Small Business Cashflow Loans scheme is still open for applications until December 2023, and the Commissioner of Inland Revenue is also able to offer deferred payments on some tax obligations.
He said the Short Term Absence Payment and Leave Support Scheme are also still in place.

Further episodes of Morning Report

Further podcasts by RNZ

Website of RNZ