A FIRM PLEA: LET’S GET ON WITH REOPENING

Some believe the worst of the pandemic is yet to come. John Anthony reports. Give us a clear Covid strategy, business leaders say

Reopening New Zealand’s borders and a clear and cohesive strategy to manage Covid-19 in the future are top priorities for businesses, executives say.

Nearly two years into the pandemic, and with no end in sight, businesses are continuing to adapt and prepare for a future that continues to be anything but certain.

Resumption of international travel, an improved vaccination programme and a clear strategy forward are just some things business leaders want to see from New Zealand’s Covid-19 response. And some believe the worst of the pandemic is yet to come.

Iwi business Nga¯ i Tahu Holdings

Nga¯ i Tahu Holdings has a diversified business portfolio, with businesses covering farming, forestry, honey, tourism, property and seafood.

Its chief executive, Mike Pohio, believes the worst of the pandemic is yet to be seen and expects the impact of Covid-19 will be felt for at least the next two years.

Nga¯ i Tahu Holdings has assessed that Aotearoa is moving into what it describes as the third phase of the pandemic, Pohio says.

The first phase was the nationwide lockdown in 2020 and the second phase is the current focus on vaccination, he says.

The third phase requires more certainty for businesses to operate and for the public to travel in order for a shift back to something resembling a pre-pandemic environment.

He would have liked to have seen a faster vaccine roll-out.

‘‘So going forward I will be hoping for a more efficient and speedier booster vaccine programme.’’

A key change that can make a world of difference to Nga¯ i Tahu Holdings is more certainty provided by the Government earlier.

‘‘The past three months have been riddled with a great deal of uncertainty, and we are still unfortunately lacking clarity on when businesses will be able to operate as close to business as usual as possible. This is clearly a central government responsibility and one that could improve our operating environment greatly.’’

It has been an incredibly challenging year for the tourism industry and the impact of the pandemic and subsequent lockdowns has been substantial for Nga¯ i Tahu Holdings’ tourism portfolio, he says.

‘‘If international borders can be opened safely and quickly then this will mitigate any further disruption – we are hopeful this will be the case.’’

The cessation of access to international markets was the biggest threat to Nga¯ i Tahu Holdings.

Nga¯ i Tahu Holdings recently underwent ‘‘a difficult but necessary’’ change management process which has injected resilience into its various business activities. Covid-19 accelerated the need for change.

‘‘Nga¯ i Tahu Holdings is currently very streamlined, united, and guided strongly towards our target outcomes by our iwi values.’’

Electric utility bike maker Ubco

Ubco chief executive Katherine Sandford says the Covid-19 response is not something that could have been prepared for or forecast, and she respects how it has been dealt with.

However, international travel restrictions are now holding the country back, she says. New Zealand had a great run relative to other countries in 2020.

But border restrictions are inhibiting the country’s ability to participate in the global economy, while other parts of the world are getting back to normal. ‘‘It’s about time to move forward before New Zealand gets left too far behind.

‘‘We do need to rapidly progress to that next chapter where we accept that Covid-19 is here to stay and learn to operate our business in that context.’’

Ongoing travel restrictions both domestically and internationally could put additional strains on Ubco.

Meeting with suppliers and customers again soon will be important in maintaining strong relationships, she says.

Attracting talent for roles that require experience in international markets is also important.

A tech skills shortage meant specialist product and production engineering roles were challenging to fill.

Sandford says she is excited to continue Ubco’s expansion into international markets.

The company has been able to maintain relationships and secure talent and investment virtually despite the pandemic and lockdowns.

‘‘It would have been difficult to do so in a pre-pandemic world, where virtual communication was not part of normality,’’ Sandford says.

Another positive to come out of the pandemic is that working from home has allowed staff to get to know each other better as well as their family and friends, thanks to virtual interactions, she says.

Carpet manufacturer Bremworth

It’s been a big six months for carpet maker Bremworth, with a new name (from Cavalier Corporation), a new chief executive and a return to profit.

Chief executive Greg Smith says that looking overseas, it is evident that an elimination strategy was never going to be sustainable.

‘‘I would have used our time and the vast amount of money that has been spent, differently, prioritising the improvement of our health infrastructure and providing more resources and support for our healthcare professionals,’’ Smith says.

‘‘This would have given us the longterm protection we need for the future. Sadly, we did the opposite.’’

How disruptive Covid-19 is in the future largely depends on when the public is presented with a logical and cohesive strategy, he says.

‘‘With that in mind, and if the last eight months are anything to go by, I would say it will remain very disruptive.

‘‘Looking at the data and real-life experience of other countries, we seem a long way off from having the worst behind us.’’

The two biggest threats to Bremworth are lockdowns and labour shortages. He describes lockdowns as a ‘‘blunt tool that cripples most business’’ but is optimistic about Bremworth and the wool industry’s ability to bounce back. ‘‘Great brands who make quality products that consumers want, tend to survive in uncertain times.’’

Being locked down has forced people to reassess their priorities, he says. ‘‘Paramount is the health and wellbeing of themselves and the people they love.’’

For Bremworth, that means people are choosing higher-quality carpets made with New Zealand wool, because they are wanting to bring more natural products into their daily lives.

Private jet terminal Airport Air Centre One

Air Centre One, corporate jet handler at Auckland International Airport, has been heavily affected by New Zealand’s closed borders. But Covid-19 has created growth in private jet travel elsewhere in the world as travellers who can afford it look to avoid airports and mass transit.

Airport Air Centre One chief executive Robin Leach says the recovery of New Zealand’s tourism industry will be led by premium tourists, and New Zealand will not have a problem attracting private jet visitors.

The recovery of commercial airlines will also be driven by higheryield business-class passengers, he says. Leach says blanket MIQ has harmed thousands of New Zealanders wanting to return and decimated the tourism industry.

Allowing double-vaccinated arrivals into the country with a short period of private isolation and ongoing testing would free up thousands of spaces in MIQ for others wanting to return to New Zealand.

He says health officials have been reluctant to engage with the private sector and suggestions made by

businesses to safely open the border should have been taken notice of earlier. A positive to have come out of Covid-19 is that it has presented an opportunity to reset tourism in New Zealand, he says.

‘‘Mass tourism is not the way of the future for New Zealand.’’

Business travel tech company Serko

Serko has been significantly affected by the pandemic with business travel bookings in 2020 plummeting to less than 20 per cent of pre-Covid levels.

‘‘With Europe now experiencing a fourth wave it’s clear that the pandemic is still disrupting lives and livelihoods not just in New Zealand but around the world,’’ Serko chief executive Darrin Grafton says.

There is a significant role for technology to play in opening up the borders and managing MIQ, he says.

‘‘From what we have seen in other regions, the unpredictable waves of Covid have meant travel restrictions and entry requirement are dynamic and constantly evolving so our approach will have to be agile as well.

‘‘There has been some really positive engagement from the Government with the New Zealand tech sector, and we would like to see that continue.’’

It was exciting to see the way domestic travel bounced back once lockdowns lifted, he says.

Domestic business travel in New Zealand returned to 90 per cent of preCovid levels within a couple of months.

‘‘People do business with people, and the buzz that came back in the airline lounges and hotel lobbies showed we were clearly ready to get in front of customers.’’

Any crisis brings challenges but also opportunities.

The pandemic has accelerated Serko’s ability to make the most of new opportunities, he says.

Pre-Covid, Serko was primarily a New Zealand and Australia business, and during the pandemic it expanded to more than 180 countries.