Weekly Digest – 25 November 2021

Auckland Lockdown to End

Starting early December, bars, restaurants, and gyms can reopen in Auckland, but customers must be able to show proof of double-dose vaccination.

This announcement signals a new phase in the country’s response to the pandemic, in which people will need to be fully vaccinated to be able to participate in anything.  New Zealand would move into a new pandemic “traffic light” system based around the use of vaccine passports from late 2 December, making an end to the lockdowns that the government used to completely eliminate the virus outbreaks.

New Zealand to Reopen to Fully Vaccinated Travelers

From 17 January 2022, fully vaccinated Kiwis can travel from Australia to New Zealand without going through MIQ and instead go through seven days of home isolation.  Meanwhile, from 14 February 2022, citizens can fly in from most other countries, except those considered very high risk and also go through the home isolation requirement.

From 30 April, the country is set to open back up for foreign nationals and international visitors in stages.

All travellers will require a negative test, proof of vaccination and declaration they haven’t been in very high-risk countries.  After they arrive, they will also be required to undergo regular testing.

New Zealand Interest Rate Hike

New Zealand’s central bank has lifted interest rates by 25 basis points to 0.75%, with many forecasters expecting borrowing costs to surge to at least 2% by next year and possibly higher.

The Reserve Bank of New Zealand’s forecasts signalled a more aggressive tightening cycle, hitting 2.5% by 2023 and going higher by December 2024.  The central bank’s governor, Adrian Orr, warned that homeowners in the country’s red-hot housing market had to prepare for tougher times ahead.

New Tool for Businesses

Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Michael Wood today announced a new tool to help businesses assess whether they should be requiring workers to be vaccinated.  This assessment tool will be available from mid-December.

When the new traffic light system comes into place from 3 December, it will be a requirement for vaccine passes to be shown for those businesses that opt into it.  The tool provides a clear legal framework to help businesses and other employers to decide about vaccinations in the workplace.

Businesses that opt in should use the passes, and those which fail to enforce them will face penalties from $300 to $12,000 for a company, or $15,000 for a court-imposed fine for a company.

Digital Hesitancy Holding Back NZ Businesses

Small businesses experience higher revenue and productivity when they readily adopt new technology, according to new research conducted by Xero.  However, technological hesitance has been found to hold back small businesses from achieving success.

The results found those that readily adopt new technology enjoyed, on average, 120% higher revenue and 106% higher productivity.  If you need help in integrating innovative tools that can streamline your processes and improve your business, get in touch with us today!

How to Get ‘My Vaccine Pass’

The government has launched its vaccine pass or certificates, which allows New Zealanders to download proof that they are fully vaccinated.

The “My Vaccine Pass” will take the form of a QR code that can be shown digitally or on printed paper, allowing venues to check whether a person has been vaccinated or not.

Once you are fully vaccinated, you can access My Covid Record, and make a My Health Account via this website.  You will need an email address, password, and proof of identity to create an account.

For those without a smartphone or access to a computer, you may call 0800 222 478 to request a My Vaccine Pass.

Get in touch

Contact us if you have any questions or want to discuss the next steps for your business.

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