Tēnā tātou katoa,

Ngā mihi o te tau hou!

In this pānui:

• Karakia Tumu Whakawātea start date
• Thursday last day to apply for Resurgence Support Payments
• MBIE: Masks not required for guides
• Reward for seal killers
• Webinar: Employment law changes relating to mandatory vaccination requirements
• Expressions of Interest: Tourism Data co-governance group

Karakia Tumu Whakawātea

Our Monday and Friday karakia and pūrākau sessions start back up on 17 January 2022 at 7am. Led by NZ Māori Tourism kaumatua Dr Tom Roa, and passed through several te Ao Māori experts, each session goes for about 45 minutes every Monday and Friday. Everyone is welcome, and karakia and pūrākau are generally told in reo Māori and reo Pakeha.

Nau mai, whakapiri mai!

Link for the karakia: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85258421309
Pātai? Email Whitiaua Black: whitiaua@maoritourism.co.nz

Last day to apply for Resurgence Support Payment 

Thursday 13 January (tomorrow at midnight) is the final day to apply for the last four remaining Resurgence Support Payments.

This includes:

• Resurgence Support Payments (x3) (see table below)
• Traffic Light Transition Payment (x1) (see info below)

You can apply for all of these payments. (However you must make four different applications).

You must show reduction of at least 30% in income in a consecutive seven-day period within the 'affected revenue period'.   

The income during this seven-days must be lower (30%) than a normal seven-days of income during the six weeks prior to 17 August. 

However - if there is no typical comparator week in the six weeks before 17 August and if your business or organisation is seasonal, you can use a typical 7-day period in a prior year. This includes 2019 if there is no typical period in 2020.

There are no more Resurgence Support Payments planned. 

Eligibility for the Resurgence Support Payment 
Apply for the Resurgence Support Payment 

Traffic Light Transition Payment 

This is a one-off Transition Payment.  It operates in exactly the same way as a Resurgence Support Payment, with the following details:

Your business may be able to get the payment if it had reduced income between 3 October and 9 November. 

New Businesses – July 18 

Businesses that have changed ownership on or after July 18 2021 will be able to apply for the final three RSP payments and the Transition Payment.  The business must be carrying on the same or similar activity as before the change in ownership. 

Masks not required for guides / instructors of guided tours

From Ministry Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE): We have had a number of enquiries about facemask wearing for presenters, guides and instructors.

I can confirm that the Protection Framework Order has been amended so that not only are performers exempted from face mask requirements, but also presenters.

It’s also been clarified that workers do not need to wear a mask at an event/group activity.

This means that performers, presenters, guides, and instructors in these settings do not need to wear facemasks.

Find the detailed traffic light rules table useful for reference:

COVID-19-Protection-Framework-traffic-lights-detailed-table.pdf (covid19.govt.nz)

Reward for fur seal killers

Te Runanga o Kaikōura and the Department of Conservation are offering a $5000 reward for information that leads to the conviction of whoever was responsible for killing at least eight fur seals on the Kaikōura coast late last year.

Eight fur seals are known to have been shot dead and the deaths of another 11 seals are being treated as suspicious. The incident happened around late October or early November.

The reward is on offer for one month only, up until 12 February 2022. More information about the reward can be found on the DOC website at www.doc.govt.nz/seal-investigation.

Webinars: Employment law changes relating to mandatory vaccination requirements

Employment NZ will be hosting a series of public webinars on the employment law changes relating to workplace vaccination mandates.

Please see full details below, and link here for reference: Webinars: Employment law changes relating to mandatory vaccination requirements (mailchi.mp)

Register by clicking here: Friday 14th Jan 2022, 10am-11am 

See NZ Māori Tourism's webinar on 'Operating under COVID Protection Framework', recorded 10 December 2021. 

Expressions of Interest: Tourism Data Co-governance Group

Are you interested in contributing to quality tourism data and insights? MBIE is calling for expressions of interest from prospective members and chairs for the Tourism Data Co-governance Group.

This group is being established as a result of the 2019 Tourism Information and Data Hui (the Hui), which agreed that shifting towards a more collaborative data system would better meet the needs of the tourism sector and Government.

The skills, knowledge and experience they are seeking includes:

• Familiarity with Tikanga and Te Ao Māori
• Understanding of principles and practices regarding Māori data sovereignty
• Research and Policy experience
• Governance/leadership experience (particularly in public-private partnership settings)
• Understanding of how data and information is used at all levels of the industry
• Understanding of Government data
• Understanding of tourism research
• Understanding of business within the Tourism industry
• Influence in industry

During the establishment phase (March-December 2022), it is expected that the Group will convene on a monthly basis, and bi-monthly thereafter.

To find out more and make an application, click here: Tourism Data Co-governance Group call for expressions of interest | Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment (mbie.govt.nz). Applications close 21 January.

Upcoming Dates 

13 January

• Last day to apply for Resurgence Support Payments (including Transition Payment)

14 January

• Cook Islands open to New Zealand tourists
• Employment NZ webinar: Employment law changes relating to mandatory vaccination requirements

17 January  

• Karakia Tumu Whakawātea starts back up – 7am
•  Māori Business Response (MBR) Tāpoi starts back up
• Children aged 5 to 11 can access COVID-19 vaccine 
• All food and beverage workers required to have second vaccination by this date

31 January

• Some schools return (at the earliest)

7 February

• Waitangi Day Holiday

8 February

• Some schools return (at the latest)

Late Feb

• Government reviews decisions to allow fully vaccinated eligible travellers to travel to NZ from Australia, and anywhere else apart from ' Very High-Risk' countries and undertake self isolation.

31 December 2023  

• Final day to apply for Small Business Cashflow Scheme 

If you have any pātai, or something to share, please email dani@maoritourism.co.nz

Noho ora mai,

NZ Māori Tourism.