9. Question No. 9—JusticeANDREW BAYLY (National—Hunua) to the Minister of JusticeQuestion No. 9—Justice9. ANDREW BAYLY (National—Hunua) to the Minister of Justice: Has the Government done enough to help support commercial landlords and business owners meet the costs they have incurred from COVID-19?Hon ANDREW LITTLE (Minister of Justice): The Government is implementing a far-reaching plan to respond recover and rebuild from COVID-19 in a way that supports business. Treasury has forecast up to 140000 jobs saved as a result of that plan and employment growth of 370000 jobs over the next four years from our range of measures which includes the wage subsidy the small-business loan scheme a record investment in infrastructure tax measures and so on. This is the Government of small business and we are the party of small business. In relation to commercial landlords and tenants this morning I announced the second stage of our support package in the commercial lease space that will support Kiwi businesses to resolve commercial rent disputes and seek rent relief by amending the Property Law Act and providing up to $40 million for access to arbitration. So in summary and to answer the member's question: yes.Andrew Bayly: Why has it taken 69 days since lockdown for the Government to announce its policy when tenants and landlords have already had to agree to three cycles of rental payments covering April May and June?Hon ANDREW LITTLE: I'm not sure that tenants agree to rental payments apart from when they reach their lease agreement but nevertheless the coalition Government put together a proposal roughly five weeks ago which has been the subject of intense scrutiny by the partners in Government and we have reached agreement and announced our policy today.Andrew Bayly: What advice has he received on the financial impact—SPEAKER: Order! Start again. I won't punish the member. I've received no advice Mr Bayly.Andrew Bayly: What advice has the Minister received on the financial impact on mum and dad investors who own a large proportion of commercial property in New Zealand when they're required to reduce their rent following a disputes process?Hon ANDREW LITTLE: The package that we've announced today actually deals with the situation of businesses that are owned by mum and dad investors as he describes it and who are tenants and who are having difficulty reaching agreement with their landlord on rent relief during a period where their businesses have effectively been closed down and they've lost all their revenue. But the package also applies to landlords who might be described as vulnerable landlords" who are small mum and dad investors but with big corporate tenants and whose corporate tenants have said "We're just not going to pay rent anymore." So they will have access to this process through a compulsory arbitration arrangement where they can get some justice.Andrew Bayly: Rather than offering a $40 million policy that effectively pays arbitrators to run a disputes process why didn't he simply give small businesses cash?Hon ANDREW LITTLE: It was important that—when you understand the nature of small business in New Zealand which is that it is highly diversified highly variable—we put in place a package of measures that enables tenants and landlords to come to terms dealing with the extraordinary range of situations and circumstances that they have. This does not call for a one-size-fits-all solution."