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Industry News

Weather events – Advice and support

30 January 2022

Supporting the New Zealand tourism industry through extreme weather events

Our thoughts are with all those affected by the recent weather events. TIA is here to help you navigate this situation. Lots of support is out there.  

Jump to: 
Where to find essential information
Information for travellers 
Insurance advice
Employment advice
Inland Revenue support 
Financial support
We’re here to help


Where to find essential information 

If you are travelling throughout the North Island, please check with your travel agent or airline about current conditions.  

You can find information about inter-island ferry travel at https://www.interislander.co.nz/ and https://www.bluebridge.co.nz/ 

Visitors can keep safe on our roads by checking with Waka Kotahi Transport Agency about any impacts to our state highways.  

If you or your visitors have a rental car or campervan and are having trouble returning the vehicle as planned due to a weather event, contact the rental company directly. 

Information about affected walking trails, beaches, parks and recreation areas can be found at Department of Conservation.  

The National Emergency Management Agency website Home » National Emergency Management Agency (civildefence.govt.nz) has links to regularly updated information including support that is available. This information is translated into a number of languages. 

Foreign nationals may also contact their Embassy/High Commission in New Zealand Embassies | New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (mfat.govt.nz)

New Zealand’s visitor information network is also available to talk to you about travel options.

Keep updated on weather conditions at www.metservice.com


Information for travellers 

In a serious weather event, domestic and international flights may be disrupted. Travellers should get in touch with their airline or check their airline travel app for the latest information and any impact on travel plans.  

Airline customer contact numbers & ground handler details

Customers who booked through a travel agent or third-party online agent should contact them directly about making changes to their bookings or credit validity.

Where to get help - visitors 

There are places available if you or your visitors need emergency shelter, somewhere to stay, information, or community support. The National Emergency Management Agency has information about what’s available and where.


Insurance advice

Weather events may result in widespread damage and disruption. If you have been affected, be assured TIA's Strategic Partner Marsh has an emergency response team responding to all claims inquiries.

In the first instance please contact your broker if you need to make an insurance claim.

Depending on the extent of the disaster, there may be delays in getting insurance Loss Adjusters to inspect damaged property. If your property has been damaged, take all reasonable steps to mitigate the damage and secure your property.

Resources may be stretched with insurance providers, emergency services, trades and utility services. Please take direction from emergency services and local authorities.  

Do not put yourself or others at further risk unnecessarily. Flood water can be contaminated and the use of gloves and masks is advisable whenever possible and try not to wade through flood waters.

You should consider each of the following and act when it is safe to do so:

  • Turn off power at the mains, and have an electrician check the power supply before turning it back on.
  • Record flood levels by marking the maximum height of the floodwater in every room and take photographs.
  • If you need to move plant/equipment outside to help with the clean-up, make sure it’s protected from further damage until a Loss Adjuster has had opportunity to assess it.
  • Clean up as much as you can to prevent further damage, and until the insurers have had a chance to assess your claim, only dispose of spoiled food or consumables perished in the flood.
  • If you can, make a note of every perishable or produce unfit for human consumption item you throw away and take photos of it beforehand.
  • Other than perishables, all other items should be stored onsite so the Loss Adjuster can inspect these.
  • When it's safe, check your property thoroughly for any damage, record the damage, and take photos or video to help support your insurance claim.
  • If you have broken windows, board them up with plywood or cardboard, if you can, to help prevent further weather damage. This will help keep them intact until they can be secured properly by a qualified repairer.
  • For urgent roof repairs, contact a qualified tradesperson to undertake work to avoid further damage to your building. Don’t attempt to fix things yourself if it’s not safe to do so.
  • If repairs can’t wait, take photos, get a detailed quotation from a qualified tradesperson,
  • Remember to keep all relevant receipts.

Managing a claim can take you away from your business focus, whether that be reopening or rebuilding. Marsh can help you respond and navigate through the claims process so it’s as smooth as possible. Check out these two resources:  

If any TIA members are particularly vulnerable or in need of urgent support (and regardless of being a Marsh client or not), please contact George Byrne on George.Byrne@marsh.com.


Employment advice

During and after a disaster or emergency, employers and employees need to consider issues such as health and safety, emotional wellbeing and payment options.

If emergency situations aren’t covered in workers' employment agreements, they may need to talk with their employees about the situation in good faith.

Check the Employment New Zealand website to find out more, including pay and leave if an employee is not working after a natural disaster or emergency.


Inland Revenue support

Inland Revenue is aware many customers will have been affected by flood and other weather-related damage and may need help to keep up with their tax obligations, including filing and paying on time. This includes upcoming GST, employer filing as well as tax payments.

IRD will carefully consider your circumstances on a case by case basis, when considering whether they are able to remit any penalties that may have been applied – see Waiving payment penalties. Remission of interest on late payments requires an Order in Council by Cabinet. If this happens, further information will be provided. 

IRD may also write off tax, penalties and interest where collection of those amounts would place someone in a position of serious hardship. 

If you believe your provisional tax should be reduced due to a likely reduction of income in the current year you can generally re-estimate the amount of tax you expect to pay and reduce the payments or get any overpaid amounts without having to file a tax return – see Estimation option. 

If you have lost some or all of your tax records as a result of flooding, they are able to manage this situation as well. 


Financial support

Banks have offered to help - contact yours directly if not listed below 

Westpac 
TIA's Strategic Partner Westpac has announced it is offering the suspension of principal payments for up to three months on home loans and business loans, deferred payment on business credit cards for up to three months and a temporary overdraft for business customers. 

Westpac customers needing support should call the contact centre on 0800 400 600. More information here 

Westpac extends relief options to customers affected by Cyclone Gabrielle

Westpac NZ is extending relief options for customers in regions affected by Cyclone Gabrielle, including Tairāwhiti, Northland, Auckland and Thames-Coromandel, where a state of emergency has been declared.

Small businesses may be eligible for $2500 cash grants, and business and personal customers may also be eligible for a range of other support.

Find out more here.

ANZ
Contact your Relationship Manager, call 0800 269 249 or find more information here

ASB  
ASB is available to support customers who may require emergency financial assistance as a result of the recent weather events. Emergency assistance can be offered to business customers on a case-by-case basis. This includes access to working capital of up to $100,000 for eligible ASB business and rural customers. 

Customers seeking help can call 0800 803 804. 

BNZ 
BNZ has offered a package to customers and businesses. Customers affected by floods can get their mortgage reviewed on a case-by-case basis and access temporary personal overdrafts for urgent funds before insurance pay-outs. 

Business customers may also be able to access temporary overdrafts of up to $100,000 with no application fee. Temporary overdrafts of up to $10,000 with no application fee for small business customers are also available to BNZ customers. 

Business customers should contact their BNZ Partner directly, Small Business customers can call 0800 BNZSME and all other customers can use BNZ digital services or call 0800 ASKBNZ. 

Kiwibank
Apply for financial relief online or find more information here


Civil Defence Payments  

Civil Defence payments have been announced for people affected by the recent floods. 

The Civil Defence website says if people had to leave their home, were staying away from home at the time of the emergency and can't return, can't go to work, or need help with food, bedding, or clothing, they may be eligible for the payment. 


Relief Funding 

The Government is providing $25 million in recovery support to businesses in seven regions affected by Cyclone Gabrielle and January floods in the North Island.

You can apply for a grant of up to $40,000.

The grants are to help you:
-keep operating and position you for a successful recovery
-maintain cashflow.


Mayoral Relief Fund

Minister for Emergency Management Kieran McAnulty has announced the Government is providing establishment funding of $100,000 to the Mayoral Relief Fund to help communities in Auckland following flooding. 

Mayoral Relief Funds help communities bounce back after an emergency. Local communities and councils understand where the immediate needs are and how to help whānau, community organisations and marae. 

The Minister says there will be additional funding allocated once they have a better assessment of the full extent of the damage and its cost. 


Auckland Council Emergency Relief Fund to support Aucklanders affected by floods

Mayor Wayne Brown has announced that Auckland Council has also allocated $100,000 to an Auckland Council Emergency Relief Fund to support communities experiencing hardship due to storms which have lashed the region. More money is expected to be contributed to the fund over the coming hours and days. Read more


Back to Work Grants for Businesses

The Government has announced a $5 million package of emergency support to help businesses significantly affected by the recent flooding in Auckland. The Back to Work grants provide a helping hand for businesses that are highly vulnerable and at high risk of closure or struggling to remain operational following the significant flooding on Auckland Anniversary Weekend.


Health and wellbeing support

Healthcare services are continuing to provide care if you need it. All hospitals, including emergency departments remain open. For general health advice, or if you’re just not sure where you need to go to seek help, call Healthline 0800 611 116.  

As a business owner, remember to look after your own mental health and wellbeing, for the sake of yourself, your whānau and your business. The Five Ways to Wellbeing outlines ways to think about how you can create good mental wellbeing – within your workplace and within yourself. Check out the Five ways to wellbeing at work toolkit — Mental Health Foundation.  

Any small business owner, employee or their families in the North Island can access the Xero Assistance Programme (XAP). Access free and confidential mental health counselling and resources here: Xero Assistance Programme | XAP | Xero NZ.

For help with anxiety, distress or mental wellbeing, call or text Need to Talk? on 1737 to speak to a trained counsellor for free, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. People can also reach out to their usual health practitioner for support. 


We’re here to help   

Look after each other and stay safe. If you need additional support or information, TIA is here to help. For help or advice, please contact: 
 
Member Advocate Di Reid – 027 460 8681 or diane.reid@tia.org.nz  

For non-urgent queries and requests, please email info@tia.org.nz and we will respond as soon as possible.  
 
We'll also update you as soon as we have more information or if anything changes. 

Thanks to our strategic partners

Thanks to our strategic partners

Thanks to our strategic partners