1. Question No. 1—FinanceDr DUNCAN WEBB (Labour—Christchurch Central) to the Minister of FinanceORAL QUESTIONSQUESTIONS TO MINISTERSQuestion No. 1—Finance1. Dr DUNCAN WEBB (Labour—Christchurch Central) to the Minister of Finance: What recent announcements has he made regarding economic support for businesses facing restrictions as a result of the Delta outbreak?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON (Minister of Finance): The Government has provided significant support to businesses and workers in response to the Delta COVID-19 outbreak. So far we have paid out $4.8 billion approximately through the wage subsidy scheme and Resurgence Support Payment (RSP) since August when the outbreak began. We do know however that it has been particularly tough for those in Auckland and as part of the move to the new COVID-19 Protection Framework we've announced an enhanced business support package to help businesses through this transition. The core of that is a significant boost to the Resurgence Support Payment moving to fortnightly payments at double the current rate and the first of these will open on 12 November. Currently the RSP is a three-weekly payment of $1500 per eligible business and $400 for each full-time employee up to a total of 50 full-time equivalents (FTEs) or $21500. For the payments starting on 12 November this will be $3000 per eligible business and $800 per FTE up to 50 FTEs making a maximum fortnightly payment of $43000. The wage subsidy will continue to be available on the current criteria while areas of the country are still in alert level 3 and the cost of providing both the weekly RSP as it effectively becomes and the wage subsidy is estimated to be up to $940 million per fortnight through this transitional period.Dr Duncan Webb: Why has the Government decided to use the Resurgence Support Payment to provide assistance under the new COVID-19 Protection Framework?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: The decision was made to use the RSP because it's the mechanism that gives the greatest flexibility. It's also an existing mechanism which means it can be implemented quickly. The RSP is now effectively targeting Auckland businesses with payments going to Auckland having grown to 70 percent of the payment from 40 percent when it was first paid out in this outbreak. This enhanced support will be paid fortnightly until Auckland has been able to move into the COVID-19 Protection Framework.Dr Duncan Webb: What will happen to the economic supports when the new COVID19 Protection Framework is fully in place?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: Cabinet's made in principle decisions on the financial supports that will become available when the framework takes effect and the details of that will be confirmed next month but as we said on Friday some of those decisions we are able to announce now. The first of those is that a transition grant will be made available to support businesses particularly those in Auckland when they move into the new framework and our planning is for this to be based on broadly similar criteria to the Resurgence Support Payment. Once the framework is fully operational across New Zealand this will be the time to replace the current support schemes that we have with something that better reflects the new framework. We have said that as businesses are able to operate as normal under the orange and green levels there will not be across-the-board support. I will be proposing to Ministers financial support that targets the most affected businesses for when areas of the country are in red.Andrew Bayly: Thank you Mr Speaker. Why didn't he make the increased resurgence payment available immediately to cash-strapped businesses rather than make it three weeks before they can even apply?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: There is a Resurgence Support Payment opening for application this week and so that happens on the 29th and then we move to the fortnightly payments as soon as possible after that giving the effect of a weekly payment.David Seymour: Well was the Minister aware that making the resurgence payment weekly was first floated by ACT on 6 September and if not would he like to go on our mailing list so he can get some more good ideas for dealing with COVID?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: While I am deeply interested in the views of the member I don't follow each and every one of his press releases and were I to have taken all of his advice over the last 20 months or so I don't think businesses in Auckland would've appreciated that.