The Indian Weekender, Friday 21 August 2020

6 NEW ZEALAND
Police tighten security
operations in Christchurch
IWK BUREAU
Police will have
an increased
and highly
visible presence around
Christchurch ahead of, and
during, next week’s High
Court sentencing for the
offender convicted of the 15 March terrorist attacks. Canterbury
District Commander Superintendent John Price says Police have
been working closely with other agencies in preparation for the
sentencing hearing, which is expected to last several days.
“This is an unprecedented event with a large number of
victims and their families expected to attend court.
A number of them will read victim impact statements in court
or have them read on their behalf.
“A major security operation has been planned to help ensure
the safety of everyone involved.There will be visible, heightened
security in and around the Justice and Emergency Services
Precinct/Te Omeka (JESP), including parking restrictions and
vehicle barriers in Tuam and Lichfield streets. Anyone entering
the Christchurch Law Courts will be subject to usual court
screening measures and is encouraged to arrive early.
“Please leave bags at home, if possible.
“Police would like to thank the community for their
understanding and cooperation as we work together to ensure a
safe environment for these proceedings.”
Police front counter services at JESP have been suspended for
the duration of the sentencing hearing.
Papanui and Christchurch South stations will extend their
front counter hours until 9pm, and Police are always available
24/7 by calling 105, or in an emergency, 111.
There will also be changes to public access and services
available from the Christchurch Law Courts during the
sentencing hearing.
New Wage Subsidy Scheme announced:
Here’s what you need to know
SANDEEP SINGH
Finance Minister Grant Robertson has
announced a new wage subsidy scheme
today after the earlier wage subsidy and
subsequent extension of wage subsidy scheme.
The new wage subsidy scheme will cost $510
million. The costs are expected to be covered by
the previous underspend on the extended wage
subsidy. The new wage subsidy scheme will
save 470,000 jobs and along with the original
wage subsidy and extension schemes will save
a total of 930,000 jobs.
The criteria for the new wage subsidy will
remain similar with businesses required to
experience or predicted to have a 40 per cent
revenue drop due to COVID-19.
The revenue drop, for the purpose of
eligibility under new wage subsidy should be
for any consecutive period of at least 14 days
within 12 August and 10 September compared
to last year.
Mr Robertson said, “The new wage subsidy
will help support cashflow and confidence.
Along with the existing wage subsidy extension
– which is open until 1 September for eligible
businesses – the Treasury estimates that about
930,000 jobs will be covered by the two
schemes.”
The wage subsidy will cover a two week
period (the time Auckalnd has been moved into
Alert Level 2), which businesses can apply for
any stretch of consecutive 14 days where they
have experienced a 40 per cent fall in revenue
anytime between 12 August and 10 September.
Mortgage deferral scheme is also
extended
The mortgage deferral scheme
is also being extended from
its current end-date of 27
September, to 31 March 2021.
Further details will be made
available by the Reserve Bank
and the retail banks.
"To
further
support wide-scale
testing, we’ve removed
the revenue-drop and
‘negatively impacted’ tests
for the COVID-19 Leave
Support Scheme."
MSD has advised the new wage subsidy
scheme will be open for applications by the end
of the week, Friday 21 August.
COVID-19 Leave Support
Scheme to encourage
widespread testing
Finance Minister also announced
strengthening of Covid-19 Leave Support
scheme to help businesses with wage subsidies
for staff who have been asked for self-isolation
after testing by appropriate medical officers and
public health officials.
“To further support wide-scale testing, we’ve
removed the revenue-drop and ‘negatively
impacted’ tests for the COVID-19 Leave
Support Scheme. This means businesses with
workers who have been told by health
officials or their medical practitioner
to self-isolate will receive the
equivalent of the wage subsidy to
help cover that person’s wages
for the time they cannot be at
work,” Mr Robertson said.
Friday, August 21, 2020
The Indian Weekender
Additional security systems
announced for managed isolation
IWK BUREAU
Additional security systems, including thermal CCTV that
triggers an alarm if returnees break out, will be rolled
out to all Managed Isolation and Quarantine Facilities,
Housing Minister Megan Woods announced today.
The estimated $6 million rollout is part of an ongoing
programme of continual improvement in the managed isolation
and quarantine system and follows yesterday’s announcement of
a 500-person boost to defence force personnel in manage
isolation and quarantine facilities, and previous
"We
are mindful
of the privacy of
returnees and any
additional surveillance
will take place only in
the public areas of the
facilities, not in
rooms."
increases to Police and security fencing.
The Government will also be commencing
a pilot of the COVID card with staff inside a
managed isolation facility, with a view to a wider
roll out in the coming months. This technology
will add a layer of assurance to ensure we can
track movements within facilities to enable rapid
contact tracing and builds on the various other
initiatives we have been rolling out to minimise risk of an
outbreak coming from our facilities.
“Managed isolation and quarantine facilities are commercial
hotels with security systems that support the hotel function but
there is room to improve these systems to better protect our
communities from COVID-19,” Megan Woods said.
Whilst each facility is very different it is proposed to add the
following security enhancements where feasible:
• Thermal CCTV (night and day vision) around the perimeter
with geo-fenced alarming. This technology would create an
alarm when people move within a defined area;
• CCTV in public and exercise areas to monitor distance
breaches;
• CCTV in accommodation corridors to monitor any breaches
between rooms;
Indians stranded in NZ
urged to buy ticket on Air
India website for August
25 repatriation flight
SANDEEP SINGH
The Indian High Commission has issued
a new directive urging all Indians
stranded in New Zealand and keen to
travel back home on the next Vande Bharat
Mission repatriation flight (August 25) to
keep an eye on the Air India website and
purchase ticket.
The directive was issued by the Indian High
Commission in a social media post earlier today
guiding the next steps to all those keen to return
to India on the next repatriation flights under
NZ leg of the Vande Bharat Mission.
The interested passengers are being urged
to first register on a weblink http://
repat.videshapps.gov.in/regis. that will
automatically generate a registration number
that they will need further for purchasing flight
tickets to India.
It seems that this automated process will be
working on a first come first serve basis as the
users who can timely register themselves, get
a registration number and further log-in on Air
India’s website will be able to purchase a ticket.
The office of Indian High Commission
has stated that they are focused on sending
stranded Indians home expeditiously and have
been continuously trying to streamline the
procedures to make that easy.
Paramjeet Singh, Second Secretary at the
office of the Indian High Commission told the
Indian Weekender, “This process is designed
after some serious deliberations between our
Mission and Air India with a focus on reducing
anxiety and increasing satisfaction of people
experiencing distress.”
• Security Control Room/Desk,
• Audible alarms on fire exits
Electronic access systems to restrict or track
movement around a facility.
“Benefits include an increased ability to quickly
detect and respond to perimeter breaches and incursions,
and breaches of managed isolation and quarantine facility rules
and security such as physical distancing and use of PPE. It will
also enable better evidence collection to support enforcement
action and if necessary police prosecution for non-compliance.
“Keeping COVID-19 at the border is a priority for the
Government and these security enhancements are another tool
in our toolbox to ensure returnees stay in the facilities and limit
risk to the community.
“While no system is fool proof these additional security
arrangements add an extra layer of protection to help keep
COVID at the border.
“We are mindful of the privacy of returnees and any additional
surveillance will take place only in the public areas of the
facilities, not in rooms,” Megan Woods said.
"This process
is designed
after some serious
deliberations between
our Mission and Air India
with a focus on reducing
anxiety and increasing
satisfaction of people
experiencing distress
Mr Singh refused to divulge any further
information.
Meanwhile, some of the lucky passengers
who have been able to purchase and book
tickets on the August 25 flight have told the
Indian Weekender that the cost of an economy
class ticket was NZD $2,478.85.