Days after the New Zealand Government extended the Level 3 restrictions placed on businesses in Auckland, the city’s business chamber has pleaded with the government to stop arbitrarily deciding which industries remain open and closed.

Many businesses that have been shuttered are more than capable of complying with every safety, health and hygiene requirement, Auckland Business Chamber CEO Michael Barnett said, but had been prohibited from trading.

“It is not the role of some agency to pick winners and losers like a pick and dip lottery,” Barnett said. 

“People’s lives and livelihoods are being played with and some will not be able to survive round 2. They should not become victims of discrimination.”

For example, businesses offering the same services and products as supermarkets are unable to operate, while supermarkets are. And while the Government had acted swiftly in extending its wage subsidy scheme, it needs to “play fair” and implement clear, consistent and universal rules of trade.

Under the new rules level 3 restrictions will remain in place until at least Wednesday, August 26, though that date could change depending on the city’s infection rates. 

For the time being, supermarkets nationwide are changing their operations to keep Kiwis, and their staff, as safe as possible. 

Foodstuffs is asking families to send only one person to do a shop, enforcing a one person, one trolley policy, in an effort to manage customer numbers in store and to ensure as many people can be served as possible. 

Auckland employees will no longer pack bags for customers, and asking Kiwis elsewhere to come prepared to pack their own groceries, as bag packers at checkout vary by stores. 

Countdown has said it will return its stores to their normal opening times, but will continue to close at 9pm nationwide.