22nd Oct 2022

The removal of the Traffic Light Settings and the easing of mandates and restrictions has come as a very welcome relief for many businesses, who can now start to plan for their future with more certainty. However, this positive news, whilst being a step in the right direction, is not necessarily the silver bullet required to overcome the continuing challenges that many businesses are facing.

The ongoing shortage of labour, issues with the supply chain and the ever-rising costs of goods, materials and inflation will not just disappear overnight. Many businesses are still unable to operate at a financially viable level as they simply don’t have enough staff and although the changes to isolation rules for household contacts of people with the virus should help to relieve short-term absenteeism, the vacancies unable to be filled across multiple business sectors makes for challenging times ahead.

Attempts by the Government to make immigration and visiting NZ easier are falling sadly short as it is taking too long to process many visa applications. This inability to engage with people could be a bridge too far for some businesses who desperately need access to more people more quickly, whether that be to fill vacancies to improve operational efficiency or to bolster the economy by spending their tourist dollars. I sincerely hope that the recent positive changes are not overshadowed by these ongoing challenges and that there is more positivity coming our way.

I would again ask you to please continue to support your local businesses by buying local and maybe even working locally if that’s a viable option for you.

Business North Harbour Staff Contacts
Kevin O’Leary – General Manager
Bernadette Roberts – Marketing & Events Manager
Sarah de Zwart – Relationship Manager/Transport Projects
Dave Loader – Crime Prevention Specialist
Kate Thorpe – Office Manager

Business North Harbour Office
Telephone: 09 968 2222
Address: Level 1, 322 Rosedale Road, Rosedale
Website : www.businessnh.org.nz