Auckland Business Chamber Calls For Support For Exporters

Auckland Business Chamber CEO Michael Barnett appealed for support for exporters at the annual Finance Lunch this afternoon. In the Q&A following Hon Grant Robertson’s address, Barnett said freight costs up were up 150 to 200%, labour costs had increased and the exchange rate had risen sharply. “All of these things are frustrating an export sector that has protected New Zealand over the last 12 months,” Mr Barnett said.

Robertson, who spoke via Zoom, responded that he was very well aware of the critical role that our export sector has played.

“We have been in this from the start in terms of the air freight subsidy, he said. Where it is more challenging is in sea freight. We looked if there was an equivalent scheme for sea freight, but it doesn’t work quite that way. We will continue to work on doing everything we can to unclog the supply chain.”

However, Robertson said he was not proposing any new support for exporters at present.

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