A ‘Level 2.5’ Will Cost Government Billions And Put Taxpayers On The Dole
Ahead of a Cabinet decision later today on Covid Alert Levels outside
of Auckland, the Dairy and Business Owners Group is warning that Otago
University proposals for a 'Level 2.5' will cost the government and
taxpayers billions of dollars.
“Be under no illusion that a level 2.5 will destroy businesses and put
hundreds of thousands of Kiwis onto the dole,” says Sunny Kaushal,
chair of the Dairy and Business Owners Group.
“Otago are the grinches who want to steal Christmas and a Level 2.5
will destroy businesses, lives and livelihoods.
“It’s barking mad and is like some communist nightmare.
“This takes out the entire hospitality industry. A limit of 25
physically distanced people indoors, who cannot eat or drink unmasked,
will kill businesses. How on earth will factories operate producing
wood products for construction or tinned spaghetti for supermarkets,
if they and their warehouses are only allowed 25 people indoors?
“A Level 2.5 will require unprecedented compensation or cause
irreparable economic damage.
"If government wants a Level 2.5 then it must pay out full and fair
compensation for lost trade covering every pub, restaurant, gym, café,
venue and affected business. It shows that big academia has no grip
on the reality of running a business or an economy.
“Proving there’s an agenda beyond Covid is this plan to cut the
alcohol limit "temporarily" to zero in order to "relieve pressures on
A"
“As vaccination slashes hospitalisations this is naked political
opportunism from academics who hate what dairies, pubs and fast food
shops sell.
“According to the UK's Independent, nearly 75% of Covid hospital
patients aged under 50 there have not been vaccinated. Why isn't
Otago pushing for mandatory vaccinations and vaccine passports instead?
"We'd welcome smartphone-based QR codes for the vaccinated in order to
start opening up the economy instead of shutting it down more. That
will incentivise vaccinations but where's the work on buying what the
UK government has developed?
“We also ask if the Universities have 'code scanning monitors' that
they expect us as businesses to police? Somehow we doubt it.
“Outside of Auckland we need a return to the established Level-2, not
some 'Level-2.5' that means you cannot plan or employ people. To us,
when a district or city hits 70% vaccination rates then they should be
rewarded with Level-1 backed with QR-based vaccination passports.
“That’s unless the government wants to buy out or subsidise thousands
of businesses that will be required by this crazy Otago Plan,” Mr
Kaushal said.