Covid 19 coronavirus Delta outbreak: Waikato Inc most positive, less likely to apply for Govt support: Lockdown northern region survey

Waikato was the most optimistic in a survey of Auckland, Tauranga, Taupo commerce. Photo / NZME

Waikato businesses are more optimistic about the severity of fallout from lockdown than their Auckland, Tauranga and Taupō counterparts and less likely to apply for Government support schemes, survey results suggest.

Northern chambers of commerce have surveyed 100 different members in each region, with Waikato businesses having the most positive outlook.

While only 67 per cent of Waikato businesses surveyed are able to operate under the current level 4 restrictions, 89 per cent were confident they would survive the pandemic, compared to 80 per cent of Auckland businesses and 64 per cent of all those surveyed.

Waikato Chamber of Commerce chief executive Don Good said the most interesting result was that 97 per cent of his region's members responded they would not access Government support schemes to survive the lockdown, compared with 95 per cent of Auckland businesses which said they would. Of the total businesses surveyed, 56 per cent reported they would make use of the support offers.

Good said Waikato Inc's positivity could change with an extended lockdown but with under 10 per cent of businesses surveyed eyeing Government support, the resilience of the regional economy, underpinned by the farming and technology sectors, was clear.

"Another positive note is only 9 per cent of Waikato businesses said they were considering making staff redundant as a consequence of lockdown. This was much lower than the overall average of 23 per cent of the total businesses surveyed saying it was an option being considered."

Thirty-seven per cent of Waikato businesses reported level 4 lockdown had not impacted their weekly financials so far and 85 per cent said the financial hit was less than $100,000.

"This was again the most positive result out of the regions involved in the survey with only 29 per cent overall reporting they had not been impacted financially by the lockdown yet," Good said, while acknowledging it was a difficult time for Waikato businesses in the tourism and hospitality sectors.