Vodafone says its continuing to see significant increases in calls and data on its networks after the first week of level 4 lockdown; and SkyCity is making 200 staff redundant as part of cost cutting because of the Covid-19 virus.
1.SkyCity is making 200 staff redundant as part of cost cutting because of the Covid-19 virus. The casino operator said it had no choice but to cut the size of the workforce given that once business resumes it will be at much reduced level. Chief executive Graeme Stephens said it’s losing $90 million a month in revenue during the lockdown, while its labour costs alone are $20m.
2.Global coronavirus cases surpassed 1 million as the pandemic exploded in the United States and the death toll continues to climb in Italy and Spain, according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University. The virus has killed more than 51,000 globally with the largest number of deaths in Italy, followed by Spain and the United States, the Baltimore university’s Center for System Science and Engineering reported.
3.A major credit rating agency says it expects New Zealand to bounce back from the economic squeeze caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. Moody’s has reaffirmed the country’s top-level Aaa credit rating, saying the country has credible institutions, a very strong fiscal position and an economy with good shape.
4.There are concerns over the quality of the police’s sms tracking system being used to monitor the location of people during the lockdown. On their return to the country, more than 5,000 people have been sent a text message asking them to click on a link, giving permission for their location to be tracked.
5.Up to 100,000 foreigners could be looking to leave the country in coming weeks, after the Government relaxed domestic travel restrictions for them yesterday. Germany and Britain are in talks with the Government about repatriation flights.
6.The police in Dunedin are investigating after a man turned up to Dunedin Hospital last night with a gunshot wound. Soon afterward a vehicle carrying two people believed to be linked to the shooting, crashed into a bus at central Dunedin.
7.Vodafone says its continuing to see significant increases in calls and data on its networks after the first week of level 4 lockdown. Most network traffic has increased on February levels with the exception of international roaming.
8.The iconic Auckland greengrocer Jack Lum has been forced to close its doors because its not considered an essential service, as a supermarket is nearby.
9.The large supermarket chain Foodstuffs denies there’s been price gouging during the Covid-19 lockdown. Consumers have been complaining about a lack of specials and overly expensive food products.
10.Ritchies and Go Bus are being accused of Covid-19 restrictions to get drivers to use up their annual leave. Drivers from both companies have contacted RNZ, to say they’ve been asked to take annual leave while the employers operate a weekend timetable.
11.Isolated Aotea, Great Barrier Islanders, say mainlanders are flouting the lockdown rules by arriving on mass by boat to escape coronavirus. The local board chair Izzy Fordham says the 1500 residents have only a limited amount of food, medicine and fuel and the new arrivals are straining supplies.
12.The Early Childhood Council is upset that Work and Income has decided to stop paying childcare subsidies during the lockdown. The subsidies help low-income families to pay the fees charged by most early childhood services.
13.Small business owners say commercial rent relief is desperately needed if they are to survive past the Covid-19 disruptions. While the wage subsidy helped with staff costs, there is currently no government assistance for commercial rent which typically accounts for 40 percent of a firm’s fixed costs.
14.Repair work will resume on a flood damaged Dunedin stream bank during the lockdown. Work to secure critical infrastructure on the Silverstream bank was temporarily stopped but the Dunedin’s City Council says there is increased risk to critical water supplies if the repair work doesn’t continue.
