5. AARON GILMORE (National) Link to this
to the Minister for Economic Development
What measures has the Government recently announced to help support the economic recovery of Canterbury businesses?
Hon STEVEN JOYCE (Minister of Transport) Link to this
This morning the Hon Gerry Brownlee and the Hon David Carter announced that the Government is committing a further $6.85 million to a targeted economic recovery package aimed at assisting businesses affected by the two major earthquakes to get back on their feet. The package has been developed in conjunction with the Canterbury business community, and it is the next step in providing assistance to the business community and allowing a stronger Canterbury to emerge.
The package covers a range of services, including $1.7 million for 30 new business recovery coordinators, a one-off donation of $2.5 million for the Canterbury Business Recovery Trust Fund, and a $2 million fund to support visits to international markets by affected export businesses. Overall the package is aimed at rebuilding the confidence of businesses and assisting them to make well-informed decisions about their future.
Hon David ParkerIs the Minister aware that a month after the 22 February earthquake, most building owners and business tenants of buildings to which access is prevented have still not received communication advising whether, or when, they will be able to enter their business premises to obtain computers, business records, and the stock-in-trade that they need to restart their business, and that this is putting into jeopardy the jobs of many, many Christchurch people?
The Minister appreciates the difficulty that the cordon is causing, and it is a problem for businesses. But the reality is that we are talking about a very significant safety issue. Civil defence is working hard on a plan to increase controlled access for business owners, and it hopes to have that in place very shortly. Until then we need to exercise patience, and not lose sight of the facts that safety has to remain paramount and that the red zone remains an unsafe area.
No, absolutely not. Today’s announcement is just one further element of the ongoing support that the Government is providing to Canterbury businesses. We are working with Canterbury business associations to constantly review and reassess the needs of affected businesses, and we expect to take further steps to aid economic recovery in the near future.