Holding the traffic light setting at Red indefinitely is gutting for many businesses teetering on the brink of insolvency, says Hospitality New Zealand.
"With us seemingly past the Omicron peak, businesses were rightly expecting a strong indication on when we could move to Orange, but to get nothing at all is particularly gutting," says chief executive Julie White.
"If not actual movement, then maybe a date so they could plan would have been better than nothing.
"Every day we’re in Red is another day of struggle for venues up and down the country that have been disproportionately affected by the pandemic.
"The uncertainty is a business-killer. I’m not sure how much more they can take.
"We were grateful for the lift in the number allowed in indoor settings that led to an increase in patronage, but in reality that affected only a small part of the industry, and we were really counting on something that would give much wider relief.
"The Government says we need customers to go out but that’s been our point all along – they just aren’t doing that in this artificial lockdown.
"They claim lifting those restrictions would be beneficial but for most there’s no help at all.
"What’s the difference between sitting in a stadium with thousands of others and going to a café or restaurant later? There’s none, so why do customers have to remain seated and separated.
"The Prime Minister has already acknowledged the virus spread in hospitality is low, so why do we keep being penalised?
"We are pleased the requirement for businesses to ask for a vaccine pass ends tonight.
"The system was useful in its day, but people must remember it doesn't stop you from catching COVID-19, or make you any less infectious.
"There has also been a lot of push-back on the use of the passes from customers refusing to show it or causing trouble, so removing the requirement addresses that, along with one of the major impediments to standard hospitality operation."
