The English Fortnightly (Since November 1999) Issue 452 | December 15, 2020 | Free phone editor@ website facebook twitter linkedin 09 533 6377 indiannewslink.co.nz www.indiannewslink.co.nz /indiannewslink /indiannewslink /indiannewslink Indian Newslink Indian Business Awards 2018 Multi-Ethnic staff from India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Japan, Winner Tonga, Iraq, Samoa and China Supreme Business of the Year Business Excellence in Marketing Raj Pardeep Singh Shyama Sharma Best Employer of Choice Specialists in Sale and Purchase of Property & Business, Leases, Principal Partner Barrister and Solicitor Best Medium-Sized Business Employment Law, Criminal Law, Family Law, Wills & Trusts, Immigration LLB/BA (Hons.) LLB/MIT/B.Com LLB/ DBM/ BA( Hons) Ashima Singh, Winner of the email: [email protected] Law- all types of visas and appeals (Initial Consultation Free) E: [email protected] E: [email protected] E: [email protected] Best Businesswoman of the year 2016 Ph: (09) 2799439 | Level-1, 31 East Tamaki Road, Papatoetoe, Auckland 2025 | PO Box 23445 Hunters Corner, Papatoetoe, Auckland 2155 | www.legalassociates.co.nz tenancy negotiation support. Leave Support Scheme Another pay out promised should Alert Levels change The government is retaining the Leave Venkat Raman The payment will help specially the Full Time Employees ($21,500). Firms Support Scheme, enhancing it with a new Short-Term Advance Payment to cover hile community transmis- hospitality and events sectors if there that experience a 30% drop in revenue are disruptions. over a 14-day period will be eligible. eligible workers wanting to stay at home sion of Covid-19 seems while awaiting a Covid-19 Test Result. to under control in New “This recognises that some Wage Subsidy again businesses face one-off costs or impacts “We have also committed to the This will be a one-off payment of $350 Zealand, the government to employers to pay such workers but Wis prepared to manage should there be to cashflow when we step up an Alert Wage Subsidy Scheme whether there eligibility will depend on the advice of a resurgence of the Virus. Level to follow public health advice. is a regional or national move to Alert The payment is structured to provide Levels Three and Four. This Scheme public health officials. Covid-19 Response Minister Chris “Other supports retained include the Hipkins has announced an extensive Deputy Prime Minister & Finance Minister most support to smaller firms who are has been very effective in keeping Grant Robertson most likely to face cashflow issues but people in work so far with more than loan products Business Finance Guaran- plan for management of the pandemic tee Scheme, which is being extended to should it recur in this country and Resurgence Support Payment will be available to all businesses and $14 billion paid out to protect 1.8 sole traders,” Mr Robertson said. million jobs,” he said. June 2021 with additional availability and Deputy Prime Minister and Finance He said that a new Resurgence flexibility, and Small Business Cashflow Minister Grant Robertson has assured Support Payment will be in place if the He said that the payment will include Mr Robertson said that the State Cab- a core per business rate of $1500 plus inet has asked the Justice Minister to Scheme, which has also recently been businesses of certainty and another country is compelled to move to Alert extended,” Mr Robertson said. pay out. Level 2 or higher for a week or more. $400 per employee up to a total of 50 reassess options on future commercial Government announces Covid Plan for Summer Holidays Venkat Raman risk, Get Ready and Respond. According to him, improved testing network are ready,” he said. ith the Coronavirus Mr Hipkins said that for each of the and contact tracing capacity have Mr Hipkins said that the agencies of pandemic raging scenarios, extensive contingency plans enabled the government to successfully the government are well connected and through United States are in place. manage outbreak of the Virus four have worked closely Civil Defence and of America, Europe “We have learnt from previous times without having to change alert Emergency Management, local govern- andW in many countries of Asia, New cases and regional lockdowns and used levels. ment iwi and community leaders to Zealand remains vulnerable despite that knowledge to refine our plans Elimination Strategy obtain a fully-coordinated response. having controlled its spread, Covid-19 and preparations. We know what to “Our Summer planning approach “People in remote locations where Response Minister Chris Hipkins said. do and the health system is standing to manage any community cases over there is limited cell phone coverage Although the country has not ready. People and resources are on call. the holidays supports New Zealand’s would very likely be safe from exposure witnessed community cases in recent Our supply chains are stocked. Since elimination strategy for Covid-19. If to Covid-19 but they should follow weeks, the risk is high with the March, New Zealand has strengthened we find it, we will stamp it out, and we public health advice upon return from return of New Zealanders (citizens Covid-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins and evolved its ability to respond to have made sure that the government’s those locations. This is a personal and permanent residents) and the scenario testing and understanding Covid-19,” he said. Covid-19 team and the national support responsibility,” he said. proposed arrival of seasonal workers actions that might be needed, including, from countries which experience high as a last resort, Alert Level changes. We incidence of Covid-19. will continue to respond swiftly and Let us all enjoy the Holiday Season! New Zealanders are expected to openly during the holiday period. If a together to prevent the spread of travel widely to various parts of the his is the last issue of Indian positive case is found in the community, Covid-19. However, we realise that country during the holiday season and Newslink for 2020. Our we will use the usual approach to com- there is no room for complacency. participate in various festivals and offices will be closed from municating with the public,” he said. Our Gratitude mass-gatherings, thereby increasing Mr Hipkins said that in such an December 16, 2020 and will Treopen on Thursday, January 14, Year 2020 also saw two fiercely the risk of contracting Covid-19 further. event, either he or Director General fought general elections- In New Extensive response 2021. However, our round-the-clock of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield (or Zealand and USA; which is a better Announcing the government’s plan coverage of news on our website, his official) will provide updates and democracy is anyone’s guess. in case the Virus re-emerges in the social media and through our advice through the Media and through We take this opportunity to express community today, he said that while it biweekly newsletters will continue. the Health Ministry website. our gratitude to our advertisers, spon- was difficult to predict how a case can The passing year has been one Three Broad Scenarios claiming lives, public health and sors, readers, staff, correspondents, emerge, he assured New Zealanders of challenges and opportunities The government’s Covid Plan for businesses. We in New Zealand contributors and friends and wish that planning in coordination with for the world which continues to Summer has taken into account three are lucky. We belong to the ‘Team them Merry Christmas and a Happy various ministries has been extensive. experience a terrible pandemic, broad scenarios. of Five Million’ which worked News Year. Indian Newslink Team “The planning process includes The Plan outlines how to Reduce the Get into your First Home with as little as deposit* Take advantage of record-low interest rates To know your borrowing capacity call-Rachna Dave on 0800RACHNA Email: [email protected] 24 Roberta Avenue, Glendowie, Auckland 1071 Website: www.0800rachna.co.nz PO Box 82338, Highland Park, Auckland 2143 Mobile: 021-02290344 Toll-Free: 0800RACHNA (0800 722 462) Phone: (09) 5336377 Email: [email protected] *Subject to lending Terms and Conditions 02 Homelink DECEMBER 15, 2020 New Ethnic Communities Ministry, laws on hate crime coming Government, Intelligence Agency and Police apologise toMuslim community Venkat Raman reation of a new Ministry for Ethnic Communities, a graduate programme for Ethnic Communities, Camendments to hate speech and hate-related crimes and filling the gaps in the Gun Laws are among the initiatives that the government will implement on an urgent basis. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern al- so announced that her government will move quickly to implement the recommendations made by the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the Christchurch shootings Prime Minister Jacinda Arden walking to the Debating Chamber of Parliament with Prime Minister Jacinda Arden speaking in Parliament after tabling the Royal Commission that killed 51 Muslim men, women Ministers Andrew Little and Priyanca Radhakrishnan and other officials shortly and children who praying at two before 2 pm today (December 8, 2020) paints a picture of under-resourced chance of stopping his attacks Mosques on March 15, 2019. security agencies, a patchy system than what government agencies She released the Commission’s for information sharing and would have had, said the Royal Report at a special lock-up session enforcement, lax practices for Commission. for journalists in the Parliament firearms licensing and too much “The Report found: He flew Buildings this morning, ahead of of a focus on the threat of Islamic under the radar of the security tabling it at the Debating Chamber extremism. A major problem, it agencies; 10 public sector agencies this afternoon. concludes, is that when it comes to held information about him but Ms Ardern silenced her critics issues like firearms licensing, social nothing that would warrant a red who had earlier said that the gov- cohesion and counter-terrorism flag.