With lockdown forcing a lot of communications online, Jamie Mackay caught up with a couple of regulars on The Country via Zoom to discuss the state of the economy, international tourism and how New Zealand will recover from the impact of Covid-19.
Watch below as Sir Eion Edgar, visionary businessman and philanthropist and Cameron Bagrie, an economist with more than 20 years' experience discuss what business might look like post-lockdown.
First of all, Mackay gets "the bad stuff" out of the way to focus on the positives and opportunities that could present themselves in a post-Covid world.
Watch Jamie Mackay interview Sir Eion Edgar and Cameron Bagrie below:
Check out Jamie Mackay's list of questions here:
1/ Firstly, lets put this economic downturn into historic perspective. The most significant event since the Great Depression?
2/ How have you rated the government's handling of lockdown thus far? Has the wage subsidy been an effective tool?
3/ We are hoping to head to Level 2 next week. Should we be there now?
4/ How long will this downturn last? When do we hit the rock bottom of the trough and start the slow climb out? Assuming, of course, it is a slow climb?
5/ Will we ever get back to pre-Covid economic activity? What is the new normal?
5/ Eion, you're based in Queenstown, and Cameron you're a Central Otago lad. Is international tourism dead? What is the future looking like for the likes of Queenstown and Wanaka?
6/ One man's misfortune is another's good fortune. What are the buying and business opportunities Covid-19 presents?
7/ What is the way forward for New Zealand? When we talk about "pivoting" a business, where should we be looking?
8/ How important is the primary sector going to be in our economic recovery?
9/ If an election is indeed held on September 19, four and a half months from now, what might a winning coalition government look like?
10/ And finally are you looking forward to going back the FB Stadium? How good will it be to see the Highlanders and ABs back in action, or Lady Gaga in concert?