Regional leaders advocate for businesses to reopen under Level 3

April 16, 2020

Mayor Tenby Powell says some stores would be able to work under the same restrictions for essential workers.

Some regional leaders are urging the Government to open more businesses saying smaller towns and cities are desperate to boost their local economies.

Speaking to TVNZ1's Breakfast, Tauranga mayor Tenby Powell says select businesses could reopen under the same restrictions essential services are operating under during lockdown.

“I think there is opportunity to open up as part of safe and discipline management our small to medium enterprises which is critical to New Zealand - it’s the backbone of our economy,” he says.  

He says it’s really important the small business economy is able to get back up and running without a risk of breaching rules. 

He believes the long term effects of the lockdown “could be greater than the contagion itself.”

Watch the full interview above.

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