MAY 2020 ADVOCACY SUMMARY

• Extension of the wage subsidy scheme for hardest hit sectors
• Interest Free Loan Scheme – similar to the Canadian Model, and or business grants for SMEs
• More budget for Advisory Services for SMEs
• Amendments to the Business Finance Guarantee Scheme to make it more applicant friendly for SMES, including removing minimum turnover threshold and GSA requirements
• Advocating for a Code of Practice similar to the Australian Code for landlords and tenants of commercial property
• Worked with MBIE and Worksafe on Alert Level 3 guidelines to help business get back to work at AL3 - ACHIEVED
• Continue to work with Worksafe and MBIE on AL2 guidelines
• Contract tracing to enable us to manage this through business and wider community engagement
• Advocated for active labour market policies around training and skilling
• Looking at the playing an active role in Job Brokering support
• Continued advocacy on immigration related workforce issues
• Established Business Helpline for all New Zealand businesses augmenting existing advice
• Increasing Airfreight capacity
• Boost of the Buy NZ Made/Shop Kiwi campaign to support New Zealand manufacturers and retailers
• Government procurement changes
• Local Government rates relief and business support, use of their balance sheets

• Contract manufacturers directory on the ManufacturingNZ website to provide some visibility nationally to what manufacturers do
• Created a public list of PPE manufacturers in New Zealand and we have heard they are getting enquiries from around the world
• Liaising with MBIE on economic recovery support – “Industry Transformation Plans to provide targeted support to manufacturers
• Represented on an MBIE Business Reference Group on procurement where we are working with officials on making it easier for New Zealand firms to win more Government tenders
• Working with the COVID-19 Command Centre on plans for ensuring that if the virus lingers, we don’t ever have a level 4 situation again, but we keep the country working in a COVID-safe way
• Liaison to create a smart solution for contact tracing that will enhance our ability to work and travel
• Work started on an election manifesto for manufacturers and will be consulting on a draft
• Liaising with MBIE on R&D support
• Established Business Helpline for all manufacturers in New Zealand, augmenting existing advice
• Worked with manufacturers to help them secure the wage subsidy including changes in the implementation rules.
• Met with key Ministers to discuss manufacturers role in the recovery and issues affecting the sector
• Held dedicated webinars for manufacturers including with Hon Phil Twyford and on Level 3 work guidelines
• Participated on behalf of the manufacturing sector in various forums with NZTE, MFAT, MPI and MBIE, local Councils and EDAs
• Industry 4.0 contract negotiations started with Callaghan Innovation the plan to pivot the programme towards recovery issues
• Worked with the Manufacturing Industry Alliance on Government advocacy
• Worked with MBIE and individual manufacturers on being able to operate under Level 4 & 3.
• The COVID-19 Safe Work Protocol was put together with a lot of help and input from our members which is gratefully acknowledged. It has become part of the expanded Health & Safety framework and guidelines issued by WorkSafe to cover manufacturing operations under Alert Level 3
• Changes to Government policy to support manufacturers providing essential services and products as part of the global supply chain
• Advocated changes in Government procurement, air freight, sea freight, lease costs and immigration to support local manufacturers
• Launched Buy NZ Made campaign to support New Zealand manufacturers and retailers
• Put together feature spread with Stuff on manufacturing which featured online and in the Sunday Star Times
• Undertaken television, radio and print media interviews on manufacturing issues and promoting the key role of manufacturing in the recovery.