1. Government’s "cash flow" measures to support small businesses

Every company in New Zealand is now eligible for an interest-free loan of NZ$10,000, up to NZ$100,000 depending on the size of business.

Small Business Cash Flow Program loans can be used to cover core business operating costs such as rent, insurance, utilities or rates, and can be offered to any business that stays open during the epidemic.

2. Reserve Bank of New Zealand removes restrictions on mortgage loan-to-value ratio over the next 12 months

The Reserve Bank of New Zealand decided on the 30th to remove restrictions on the mortgage loan-to-value ratio (LVR) over the next 12 months. As a part of the mortgage deferral program implemented in response to the COVID-19 outbreak, the decision was made to ensure that LVR restrictions do not have an undue impact on borrowers or lenders.

3. At 23:59 tonight New Zealand enters a two-week Level 3 alert

Tonight (27 April) at 23:59, New Zealand ends its Level 4 epidemic alert and begins a two-week Level 3 alert.

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern told a news conference today that the battle with Covid-19 was not over, despite New Zealand moving to a level 3 alert later tonight.

4. Life became more difficult during the epidemic, 70,000 New Zealanders received free food packages each week

New Zealand's poor people are living in even greater hardship during the level 4 alert. According to the Sikh community, they have supported 15,000 families across New Zealand in the past two weeks by distributing free food packages.

About 700 families lined up outside a Sikh church in Oakland this Sunday to receive food.

5. The government gives life guidance for people over 70 under level 3 alarm

New Zealand government gives life guidance for people over 70 under level 3 alert.

Carefully expand the bubble (referring to living space), for example, by allowing close family members or caregivers into their home.

Go to a local beach or park for fresh air and exercise.

Go shopping in places that are listed as essential services, such as at drugstores, supermarkets or banks. However, travel should be kept to a minimum. Whenever possible, seniors should use online services or have others shop on their behalf.

Send children to school.

Be volunteers or go to work (if it's safe to do so).

Minister for the Elderly Tracey Martin said the ground rules remained the same and people should keep a two-meter distance when going out.

6. New Zealand's tourism industry is keen to adjust lock-in rules or more tourism companies will go out of business

New Zealand's tourism industry is rapidly going into a depression as a result of a Level 3 and 4 lockdown. The travel industry has warned that the it will lose thousands of jobs if the travel rules for alert levels to Level 2 or below are not changed.

New Zealand is currently on a Level 3 alert and the government will reveal what will happen next on May 11. But even though the restrictions have been relaxed to Level 2, the government is still advising people to avoid unnecessary travel, which means New Zealanders are still not allowed to make trips to their favorite holiday destinations.

7. Prime Minister confirms that 75% of the country's economic activity is recovering

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern confirmed that some 400,000 New Zealanders had been able to return to work and that 75% of the country's economy is already running under the Level 3 alert, which was officially implemented at 11.59 pm on 28 April.

8. The official cash rate is expected to fall below 0% by the end of 2020

Economists predict that the official cash rate (OCR) will fall to -0.5% by the end of the year, despite the RBNZ's commitment to keep it at 0.25% by March 2021. In March this year, the OCR was cut by 75 basis points and the bank immediately adjusted the floating rate and later cut some deposit and loan rates. Dominick Stephens, chief economist at Westpac, said the Reserve Bank will also double the size of quantitative easing (QE) to N$60 billion in May, but may not increase it after that.

9. The epidemic alert to drop to level 3 next week, but most New Zealand parents are not to send their children back to school.

Schools across New Zealand reopened on April 29 under New Zealand's alert level 3. Students at grade 10 or below may choose to return to school or not, depending on family situation. The Courier learnt that the number of returning students was very small and that most students still chose to stay at home and studied at distance.