Hi,

One of the roles that we perform at the Hutt Valley Chamber of Commerce is to advocate on your behalf. Providing feedback to the government, local government, and other organisations is an important part of our role we are here to support you with. We do this regularly.

Over the last week, we have written to the Minister of Finance in regards to the Covid Support Payments and the Minimum Wage Increase, passing on feedback from businesses from our region who are asking for change. We did this with the support of the local mayors from our two local councils to add weight to the business voices. I also wrote to the Minister for Trade and Export Growth on behalf of another business to express their concerns and seek clarification on information.

We know that our voice is sometimes one of many but it is important to speak up. We can support you as well so just reach out if you need support.

This issue of the Hutt Valley Business Weekly includes:

• Ask The Experts – Employer Obligations During COVID
• New Financial Support For Businesses Affected By Omicron
• Ask The Experts – Latest Financial Support For Businesses During Omicron
• Financial Support Available For Workers In Self-Isolation
• Help Us Measure The Impact Of Covid On The Labour Market & Be In To Win an iPad
• Finding Staff To Support You Through Omicron
• New Zealand Ends Self-isolation For Travellers
• A New Way Of Protecting Workers And The Economy
• Local News
  • Hutt City Council’s 2022 Civic Award Nominations Are Now Open
  • Want A Share Of Hundreds Of Thousands Of Dollars In Work Over The Next 11 Years?
  • RiverLink Update and FAQs
• Events coming up
  • International Women's Day Event: Women In Business | Celebrating Local Women Challenging The Norm
  • Breakfast with Chris Luxon, Leader of the Opposition
• Member Offers
  • Would You Like To Win A Car AND Support The New Wellington Children’s Hospital?
  • Rapid Test Kits – RATs
  • N95 / P2 Equivalent Masks

If you need anything please reach out to me at patrick@hvchamber.org.nz or 021 248 1203.

Ask The Experts – Employer Obligations During COVID

Chamber CEO Patrick McKibbin spoke with Tony McKone, Employment Specialist from McKone Consultancy as well as Nikki Farrell, Senior Solicitor and Michael O'Flaherty, Associate from Gibson Sheat Lawyers about employer obligations during COVID-19.

To watch the video, click here. 

Apply Now - New Financial Support For Businesses Affected By Omicron

The key parts of the targeted support for businesses affected by Covid include:

• As part of the Covid Support Payment, each COVID Support Payment will be $4000 per business plus $400 per full-time employee, capped at 50 FTEs or $24,000. This is the same rate as the most recent Transition Payment. Applications open 28th of February.
• Changes are also being made to the Small Business Cashflow Loans Scheme to increase the amount of funding available to eligible businesses through the introduction of a ‘top up’ loan. The top-up loan will allow those firms that have already accessed a loan to draw down an additional $10,000 with a new repayment period of 5 years and the first 2 years being interest-free.
• Any businesses struggling to pay tax because of the impacts of COVID should log on to myIR to see if they can delay starting payments to a later date, or if any part of the tax could be written off. IR can help with both GST and provisional tax due.

To find out more: click here.

Ask The Experts – Latest Financial Support For Businesses During Omicron

Patrick McKibbin, CEO of Hutt Valley Chamber of Commerce spoke to Seth Singh, Senior Client Advisor for Kendons Chartered Accountants to explain the latest Financial support available for businesses.

They answered many frequently asked questions.

To watch the video, click here. 

Financial Support Available For Workers In Self-Isolation

There are also, two different payments available when workers need to self-isolate because of COVID-19 or are waiting on a test result and can't work from home. These are the:

1. COVID-19 Leave Support Scheme
2. COVID-19 Short-Term Absence Payment.

Employers or the self-employed can apply for these payments to help pay wages. There are no revenue tests. 

To find out more about these payment options, click here.

Help Us Measure The Impact Of Covid On The Labour Market & Be In To Win an iPad

Immigration NZ is interested in collecting employer information from around New Zealand relating to the impact that COVID-19 is having on the labour market.

To take part in the survey, click here.

Immigration NZ will be publishing the results of the survey through the New Kiwis website in the near future.

Finding Staff To Support You Through Omicron

We expect that many businesses will have developed business continuity plans to support your business through any disruption created by the Omicron variant. You may be splitting your teams in some way if you can, or simply planning for the disruption of staff needing to isolate. This may mean you need staff for short periods of time to provide some cover. We can help with this.

The Hutt Valley Chamber of Commerce and the Jackson Street Programme have worked with the Ministry of Social Development to come up with a way to help:

• Match employers with someone on the Jobseeker benefit for whatever length of time required. i.e. a day, a week or more
• Streamline the process with only a few details required
• Eligibility for the MSD Wage Subsidy if the employment turns out to be longer term.

To view a summary of this opportunity click here.

New Zealand Ends Self-isolation For Travellers

Starting from tonight at 11:59pm - Wednesday 2 March, fully vaccinated New Zealand citizens, residents and other eligible travellers from Australia will no longer have to self-isolate for seven days when they arrive. 

From 11:59pm on Friday 4 March, fully vaccinated New Zealand citizens, residents, and eligible travellers from the rest of the world will no longer have to self-isolate on arrival.

This means travellers will be able to enter the country and immediately connect with family and friends plus businesses and organisations will be able to see their overseas customers and continue with business as normal on arrival.

Click here to read more about it.

A New Way Of Protecting Workers And The Economy

The Government, Business New Zealand and the New Zealand Council of Trade Unions are proposing a new way of better protecting workers and the economy: a New Zealand Income Insurance Scheme.

It will support workers with 80 percent of their income for up to seven months if they lose their job through no fault of their own. Under the proposed scheme, people will have the time and financial security to find a good job that matches their skills, needs and aspirations, or retrain for a new career.

If you would like to send your feedback to the Hutt Valley Chamber of Commerce team we will make a submission on behalf of businesses in our region.

To read more about the proposals, complete a short survey or make a submission of your own click here.

LOCAL NEWS

2022 Civic Award Nominations Are Now Open - Nominations Close April 8th

Nominations have opened for the Hutt City Council’s Civic Honour Awards. There are some fantastic volunteers in Lower Hutt and this is a great opportunity for the Hutt City Council to acknowledge and celebrate the work that they do in our community.
 
There are two types:

• Community Services (Civic Honour): recognises outstanding, long-term voluntary community service in Lower Hutt. There are 7 categories
• Youth Services: recognises outstanding voluntary community service in Lower Hutt from those aged 15-25

To find out more and to fill out a nomination form click here. 
Alternatively, you can visit hutt.city/civicawards.

Spread the word and nominate someone you think deserves one of these awards. Nominations end on April 8th at 5pm.

Want A Share Of Hundreds Of Thousands Of Dollars In Work Over The Next 11 Years? 

Does your business want to learn more about the possibility of new work across our region? Then sign up to attend the online briefing tomorrow - Thursday 3 March between 2 - 4 pm.
 
Fulton Hogan is looking for potential partners to help deliver work for the Wellington Transport Alliance over the next 11 years. If you operate in the following areas then this might be for you:

• Bridge structure inspection and maintenance
• Tunnel inspections and maintenance
• Road corridor maintenance, renewal and reseal/resurfacing
• Pavement stabilising
• Haulage
• Street cleaning (sump, sweeping)
• Graffiti removal
• Vegetation control
• Road marking
• Street lighting
• Traffic signals
• Traffic counting
• Intelligent transport systems
• Temporary traffic management
• Labour hire
• Professional services (a range of associated specialist services, including for example geotechnical inspection and water quality etc). 

Sign up for the briefing on this work here. If you cannot attend but want to learn more email tenders@resolvegroup.co.nz and they will send you a copy of the session recording.

At the briefing, they will talk about the Alliance, how it will operate (from July 1st), approximate timeframes, potential work opportunities and what the process will be to register interest. A question and answer session will be provided as part of this briefing.

Riverlink Update and FAQs

There’s a lot going on leading up to consent and then construction due to start in 2023. This includes investigation works that involve gathering information to better understand the ground conditions and what kind of construction materials will be required for the project site.

It’s important to understand what types of material will be needed to support the design and construction processes, have the best information to price the construction work, and keep it safe. 

You may have recently seen people around Lower Hutt carrying out some of the surveying investigation works that have already started.

To find out more about the investigation works click here.

You will also find some frequently asked questions here on

• How much parking will be provided at Melling Station
• Why we are losing car parks and how many 

UPCOMING EVENTS

International Women's Day Event:
Women In Business | Celebrating Local Women Challenging The Norm

Join us next week to celebrate International Women’s Day, with a morning tea & networking session.

Hear from three local businesswomen who have been incredibly successful in industries that have traditionally been male-dominated.

They will give a short talk about why they choose their career path and the challenges and highlights along their journey.

This event will support Dress For Success. Feel free to bring a preloved garment on the day or bid in our auction for a selection of prizes.

When: Tuesday 08 March 2022
Time: 9am - 10.30 am
Where: Dowse Art Museum
Price: Members $38 | Non-members $45

Very few spots remaining. To register for this popular event click here.

Breakfast with Chris Luxon,
Leader of the Opposition

As part of our Gibson Sheat Political Series, the Hutt Valley Chamber is hosting a breakfast with Christopher Luxon, National Leader and MP for Botany.

This is an opportunity for the Business community to hear how National would support the business community in a future government.

When: Thursday 17 March 2022
Time: 7.30am - 9.30 am
Where: Silverstream Retreat
Price: Members $45 | Non-members $55 | Table (Max 8 people) $360 | *Excludes GST*

To register for this event that is filling up fast click here.

Future Events

We have several more events coming up throughout the year. These will include:

• Business After Five networking events
• Gibson Sheat's Political Series
• BNZ Technology & Innovation Series
• Business Safaris
• Women in Business Events
• Learning & Development workshops from our partners

Plus many more!

To stay up to date with all our events, keep an eye out on future newsletters of the Hutt Valley Business Weekly. You can also follow us on LinkedIn and Facebook to see these events as they come up.

MEMBER OFFERS

Members Offer: Rapid Test Kits - RATs

Our Hutt Valley Chamber member and government supplier, Survive-It, are offering you a special deal on Rapid Antigen Tests.

Product Details:
Assure Tech Nasal Swab Rapid Test (20 per pack)
*Number of packs available for Chamber members – 300 packs of 20*

Price:
$185 / 20 pack box (Plus GST)

How To Order:
Please email Patrick at patrick@hvchamber.org.nz with the order quantity and we will connect you to Survive-It to finalise the order.

Members Offer: N95 / P2 Equivalent Masks

Our Hutt Valley Chamber member and government supplier, Survive-It, are also offering you a special deal on N95/P2 equivalent masks.

How To Redeem:
To redeem your special offer contact Steven. Email steven@survive-it.co.nz and mention to him you are a member of the Chamber.

Product Details:
Mask product details and specs: View product details.

Would You Like To Win A Car AND Support The New Wellington Children’s Hospital?

This is YOUR chance to win one of three great prizes with the first prize being a BRAND NEW CAR all the while raising funds to help support the build of the Wellington Region Children’s Hospital.

FIRST, SECOND & THIRD PLACE PRIZES

How To Purchase Raffle Tickets: Email Gaylene at gaylene@jdicoach.co.nz or text her on 0214 688 04 with your details and she’ll be in touch. 

Valid Dates: Ticket sales are on from 16 February to 09 May 2022.

EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES

Job Vacancies

Are you a member and have a role that you'd like to get filled?

Contact Andrew our Employment Coordinator. You can reach him on:   andrew@hvchamber.org.nz or call 049399821.

If you have a job suitable for a student get in touch with our Education to Employment Coordinator Amanda Walters at  amanda@hvchamber.org.nz or call 049399821.

To view more of our vacancies, click here.

MEMBERSHIP OFFER

Are You Or Your Business A Member Yet?

Your membership includes exclusive offers, members-only events, networking opportunities with local council and other businesses, promotion across our social media channels, website, email and network, FREE employer services, FREE weekly meeting room hire, plus many other benefits.

For more information on our memberships or how you can become a member email annette@hvchamber.org.nz or call 04 939 9821.

Thank you to all our Partners

As always, special thanks to all our Members and Partners for your ongoing support.