A poll conducted by Utting Research over the weekend, found the majority of Kiwis overwhelmingly backed uncompromising measures like the forthcoming lockdown.
The Coronavirus Tracker was conducted before the Level 4 Alert announcement but showed that Kiwis were in favour of strong border controls, banning foreigners, and region-specific shutdowns.
The number of Kiwis satisfied with the government’s overall approach to the virus increased with 62 percent satisfied, compared to 47 percent satisfied when the last poll was carried out in early-March.
Since the poll was taken the government announced a mortgage holiday for those affected by the pandemic. At a press conference on Tuesday Finance Minister Grant Robertson said the major retail banks had agreed to a six-month mortgage holiday for people who had their income affected due to Covid-19.
While the details are yet to be announced, Robertson said the Reserve Bank had agreed to help banks put a scheme in place with appropriate capital rules. The Finance Minister said this measure was intended to protect people from losing their homes as a result of the economic disruption caused by the virus.
The government has also clarified some queries surrounding essential services during the Level 4 Alert lockdown.
“If we discover there are essential services that have not been made available we will react to that as we go,” explained Paul Stocks, deputy CEO of the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment.
For more information about essential services under lockdown click here.
To access the government’s official COVID-19 website click here.
