No clear data is available yet on the number of Wanaka businesses that have successfully applied for a government wage subsidy to pass on to their workers during the COVID-19 pandemic.

However, it appears many Wanaka businesses have already obtained a lump sum payout or are in the process of applying for one.

Local chamber of commerce group Ignite Wanaka has about 300 members. Its president Pete Eastwood told the Wanaka App on Wednesday (April 8) that many businesses were reporting they had applied to the scheme. 

“...anecdotally many businesses are telling us they have applied with some receiving payments already and some waiting on payments,’’ Pete said.

Cardrona Alpine Resort and Treble Cone general manager Bridget Legnavsky has confirmed the skifields’ permanent employees, about 50 people, were being covered by wage subsidies.

Bridget said the subsidy scheme had been “tremendous for us’’.

“Everyone else we know is using it,’’ she said.

The scheme provides a lump sum payment for the employer to pass on to employees. PHOTO: Wanaka App

By Monday (April 6), more than $5 billion had already been paid out nationally in wage subsidies, for 876,000 workers. The total has now (on Thursday April 9) climbed to more than $7 billion.

The government released a searchable database on Monday (April 6) so employees could check whether their employers had applied for the scheme or not. 

A random search of Wanaka businesses indicates it is being well utilised. Among others, Florences Foodstore and Café had claimed $84,355 for 12 staff; Aspiring Law had claimed $91,384 for 13 staff; Aspiring Pharmacy Aspiring Pharmacy had claimed $35,148 for five staff, and Lake Bar had claimed $186,969 for 27 staff.

The database has some kinks: Searching under a known business name may not necessarily provide the information searchers want, because trading names and company names may differ; and the database is being continually updated, so some employers may not yet be listed even if they have received the subsidy. 

Searchers may also stumble across information for a different business with a similar trading name to the one they are searching for, and cross-checking with the Companies Office searchable database may help clarify whether the correct business has been found.

View the database here.

The wage subsidy scheme provides a lump sum payment for the employer to pass on to employees, and it covers 12 weeks per employee and pays $585.80 per week full-time (20 hours a week or more) workers or $350.00 per week for part-time workers (fewer than 20 hours a week).

Employers applying for the wage subsidy must demonstrate a 30 per cent loss in revenue. More details about the scheme are available at the COVID-19 website here.