As businesses around the country race to prepare for life under Covid-19 Alert Level 3, 1 NEWS can reveal since the lockdown started banks have lent more than $6.3 billion to businesses.
Lending has increased by about one billion dollars from November until February.
At a special Select Committee today, National pressured the Government over the total time businesses could go without cash flow.
"What was staggering is while ministers say we're in lockdown because of Covid-19 simply haven't done any of the ground work or the harm is on the other side in terms of small businesses," said National leader Simon Bridges.
The Government says viable businesses will survive and some will boom. But it can’t say how many of the 495,000 will go bust.
"There are a number of businesses that pre-Covid were looking at growth who are now looking at survival and it is tenuous," said small business minister Stuart Nash.
Businesses, big and small, say they need more help.
"We should think about hammer ready, not shovel ready we need small commercial projects even back into the housing build to be underway, that's where the trades are, that's where the small business are they are the ones hurting, the ones who haven't had cash flow through April," said Don Braid Mainfreight managing director.
Online orders are ready and waiting to go from Nom-D fashion house.
“There's like hundreds, so we haven't been able to access any of that stock or anything yet so it's going to be a big job next week,” said Margarita Robertson, Nom-D creative director.
Over the last month retailers have been receiving orders but haven’t been able to deliver them.
It’s kept them going, but in Alert Level 3 workers will be able to step back into the warehouse.
An increase in deliveries has kept couriers busy.
"We're gearing it up to ensure we can meet consumer and business demand and by default that'll mean opportunity for people in employment or small business as our franchise network provides," said Scott Jenyns, chief executive of Aramex Couriers.
The Finance Minister will open his purse for businesses again in next month’s budget.
In the meantime, companies are urged to do what they can to go online and be contactless.
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