6. Question No. 6—FinanceHon TODD McCLAY (National—Rotorua) to the Minister of FinanceQuestion No. 6—Finance6. Hon TODD McCLAY (National—Rotorua) to the Minister of Finance: How many Auckland and Waikato businesses are forced to take on debt or face closure each week as a result of level 3 restrictions?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON (Minister of Finance): The member asks a question that only individual business owners could answer. While I know that he is a fan of big Government I personally don't think the Government should have access to every single private business bank account. What I can tell the member is that since 17 August the Government has supported businesses nationwide through $3.9 billion worth of support from the wage subsidy scheme and $1.4 billion through the resurgence support payment.Hon Todd McClay: Well why hasn't his Government shown much more urgency in stopping the 16751 businesses that closed in the last three months of his COVID restrictions—an increase of 123 percent compared to the same period two years ago before COVID?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: I'm not sure exactly where the member is getting that data from. The official data from the Companies Office tells us that since the middle of August 2021 there have been 14337 company registrations; 1143 of which have a postcode in the Waikato and 6642 of which have a postcode in Auckland. In contrast there were 8762 company deregistrations since mid-August 2021; 659 with a postcode in Waikato and 3930 with a postcode in Auckland.Hon Todd McClay: Does he still believe that less than a handful of cases were transmitted in retail settings and if so why have Auckland retail businesses not been allowed to open sooner—SPEAKER: Fewer—fewer than a handful.Hon Todd McClay: Pardon me?SPEAKER: Fewer than a handful.Hon Todd McClay: Can I start again?SPEAKER: Yeah start again. Yes.Hon Todd McClay: Does he still believe that less than a handful of cases were—[Laughter from members]SPEAKER: Just go. It's all right; just keep going—keep going.Hon Todd McClay: Does he still believe that less than a handful of cases were transmitted in retail settings and if so why were Auckland retail businesses not allowed to open sooner avoiding the economic harm that has been done to them?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: In answer to the first part of the question that is the advice that we've received from health officials. In answer to the second part of the question the Government has always been aware of accumulation of risk. We have managed that risk. We are now in a position to be able to reduce those restrictions as vaccinations increase.Hon Todd McClay: Why have Auckland businesses had to wait until the Prime Minister visits tomorrow before the Government announces a hundred-dollar voucher scheme for hospitality and is he aware that almost every tourism and hospitality business in the country is also struggling and also waiting?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: There are many elements to that question that I reject as being in the member's mind only.Hon Todd McClay: Why can a double-vaccinated hairdresser in Auckland not open but a shopkeeper who isn't vaccinated can and does he realise that a business that cannot open because of the Government's COVID restrictions either has to take on debt or close?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: In answer to the latter part of the question there are a number of businesses who have been forced to close throughout the last 20 months and that is highly regrettable. However that number of businesses is significantly lower than it would have been had it not been for the level of assistance that has been provided. Many businesses rather than the two things the member says have actually managed through their own hard work and the support of the Government to keep going. We should celebrate their resilience. Hon Todd McClay: Why can 25 people in Auckland or Hamilton socialise in an outdoor space or visit a shop but an Auckland and Waikato hospitality business cannot host 25 customers seated in an outdoor space and does he not realise that when a business can't open because of Government rules they either have to take on debt or close?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: As I said in the answer to the previous supplementary question I do not accept the last two parts of the member's question.SPEAKER: I am just going to give the member the same warning as I gave to Mr Seymour as to the length of his supplementaries. Thank you.Hon Todd McClay: Point of order Mr Speaker. In my second supplementary you went to correct me. I just want to make it clear that the less than a handful of cases" was a quote from the Minister; not mine.SPEAKER: The only thing I'll say is that I'm pleased I wasn't the Minister of Education responsible for his language!"