7. Earthquake Kaikōura—Support for BusinessesTODD BARCLAY (National—Clutha-Southland) to the Minister for Economic DevelopmentEarthquake Kaikōura—Support for Businesses7. TODD BARCLAY (National—Clutha-Southland) to the Minister for Economic Development: What Government support is available to businesses in areas most affected by the Kaikōura earthquakes?Hon STEVEN JOYCE (Minister for Economic Development): Earlier today the Hon Anne Tolley and I announced a package of support to provide assistance to businesses in and around the Kaikōura area that were affected by the 14 November earthquake. A wage subsidy package for an initial period of 8 weeks will be made available to businesses of 20 employees or fewer in the areas of Kaikōura Cheviot Waiau Rotherham Mount Lyford and Ward all of which were seriously impacted. The areas I have mentioned are likely to have the most dramatic and long-lasting effects given the current uncertainty around the main highway and the coastline. The scheme will be kept under review and there is opportunity for other areas to be included if that is required. The support subsidy mirrors what was offered to businesses in Christchurch following the Canterbury earthquakes with $500 per week per full-time permanent employee and $300 per week per part-time permanent employee.Todd Barclay: Why is the Government supporting businesses in earthquake-affected areas?Hon STEVEN JOYCE: The package is very important because there are some businesses that experienced a sudden and likely to be sustained drop in revenue and it will give them the confidence to retain their permanent staff while we all achieve more certainty on the future of the impacted towns and key industries like tourism hospitality and fisheries. Although there have been many businesses in both the North Island and the South Island that have been affected to some degree by these quakes the unique circumstances here are that these towns are built along the State highway. That particular road has been severely damaged and there has also been a coastline that has been massively altered. Nobody yet knows when their livelihoods will be able to be restored. It is clear that if we did not move quickly employment could dry up in these towns. More will need to be done but the Government is determined to help those towns get through the worst of it while we work through their recovery.Todd Barclay: How else is the Government supporting businesses in earthquake-affected areas?Hon STEVEN JOYCE: The member asks a good question. Today's package is an initial package to provide some certainty to impacted local businesses and their staff. Other Ministers will be taking papers to Cabinet shortly to provide further support for local businesses. The Minister of Revenue is currently developing a package with Inland Revenue Department officials and the Minister for Primary Industries is also developing some initiatives with his officials to support the primary sector in the affected areas. These will be announced in the days ahead. The Government is doing all it can to help the people of the Kaikōura District and surrounding areas get back on their feet.Dr David Clark: How will the programmes support businesses rather than employees in the rebuilding of their enterprises and more particularly how will the programmes support businesses such as Whale Watch Kaikōura which has more than 20 employees?Hon STEVEN JOYCE: In response to the first part of the question the challenge in this area is interesting and slightly different from Christchurch because in most cases the actual businesses have not suffered substantial harm in terms of the buildings and so on beyond what can be met with insurance. It is the loss of custom that has been the issue as I think the member alludes to. That is why with slightly different criteria here it is not a case of damaged premises that is a qualifying situation; it is the fact that the revenue has gone for that business for a period of time. In relation to larger businesses we have taken the view in Christchurch and here that larger businesses have more capacity to support themselves over that period but we retain the flexibility to respond. The Government has made it clear and Minister Tolley and I have made it clear today that we are keeping a watching brief on all aspects of the package and we have the flexibility to respond further if required.