End of traffic lights welcome

Hospitality businesses in Taranaki have welcomed the end of the Covid-19 traffic light system, but a public holiday later this month in honour of the Queen has proved less popular.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern made both announcements yesterday, removing all mask requirements, except for healthcare and aged care facilities, at 11.59pm.

Vaccine mandates will be axed in two weeks, incoming travellers will no longer have to be vaccinated, and household contacts will no longer need to isolate.

Ardern said the public holiday, on Monday, September 26, would coincide with a state memorial service at the Wellington Cathedral of St Paul, for which the late Queen laid the foundation stone in 1954.

‘‘Queen Elizabeth II was an extraordinary person and I know many New Zealanders will appreciate the opportunity to both mark her death and celebrate her life,’’ Ardern said.

But Terry Parkes, owner of the Nice Hotel in New Plymouth said he was ‘‘totally opposed’’ to another public holiday because of the costs. ‘‘If we lived in London, I absolutely get that it needs to be a national holiday because they can all go see the funeral and stand on the streets, but we are the other side of the world. In an economic world where we are at the moment, we really can’t afford an extra cost of anything.’’

Parkes’ business was one of many that struggled with the impacts of Covid restrictions. Now, he said, he was having to foot the bill again. ‘‘If it’s a holiday then we as employers should claim the wage for the day. There were 14 statutory holidays a year, and we have to pay it. Not only is it time-and-a-half, it’s a day in lieu off and this is at a time we are all struggling.’’

New Plymouth Mayor Neil Holdom had similar concerns.

‘‘Realistically they (the Government) need to find a way to support the business community who have already suffered over the last 21⁄ 2 years and picked up the additional costs.’’

Mark Louis, co-owner of New Plymouth restaurants Hourglass and Polpetta, and nightclub venue Our Place, said: ‘‘It’s great for everyone getting a day off, but it’s not so good when you’ve got to pay people more money.

‘‘It’s just another cost we are incurring at a time that maybe isn’t great. And it’s not just our industry, it’s all industries.’’

Arun Chaudhari, chief executive of the Taranaki Chamber of Commerce, was also worried how businesses would cover those costs. But he welcomed the end of the traffic light system, and said there would be ‘‘very little appetite’’ for another lockdown.

‘‘The Government has done the right thing. Perhaps they could have looked at this earlier, like many other countries have done, but better late than never.’’

Stratford District mayor Neil Volzke said the announcement of the public holiday was expected but the easing of Covid restrictions was already being seen.

‘‘My observation is that many people have not been compliant anyway.’’

Campbell Mason, from Caffeinate coffee shop in Hāwera, said while the easing of restrictions was welcome, he wanted to make sure people were safe.

‘‘It would be nice to get back to some sort of normality where people don’t feel like they are restricted by anything.

‘‘I don’t mind wearing a mask and following the rules, but I’m not looking forward to people thinking it’s all over, and we don’t need to worry,’’ Mason said.

‘‘If people are unwell, wear a mask in public or avoid going out.

‘‘Maybe we can take bacteria and viruses more seriously? It would be nice if that was an outcome of everything.’’