Auckland Floods

Applications to the Auckland Council Emergency Relief Fund can be made online. People can call Auckland Council on 09 301 0101 during business hours for assistance to complete applications forms.

Support and assistance may be available if you’ve been affected by flooding in the Auckland region.

There are lots of ways Work and Income can help, and they can point you in the right direction based on your situation. You don’t have to be on a benefit. You may have to pay the money back depending on your situation.

Call 0800 400 100. Work and Income is open 8am-1pm Saturday and Sunday, 7am-5pm Monday, and 8am-5pm Tuesday to Friday.

The Ministry of Education urge schools and kura to be prepared.

MOE is actively monitoring the situation and will keep you up to date as things develop over the weekend.

In the meantime, go to the Bulletins for the updates that have been sent to schools and early learning services with all the information MOE currently knows.

Banks are offering help for affected businesses. You may be able to get:

• A temporary business overdraft
• Deferred payment for business credit cards
• Relief options for business loans

Talk to your bank to find out what assistance they can offer.

Inland Revenue understands people may be unable to file or pay their tax on time because of the recent severe weather events in the north of the North Island.

During events like these IR can offer additional support and they have several ways to help people through this.

No need to contact IR right now, just when you reasonably can.

If you or your employees are feeling overwhelmed or anxious, visit First Steps. Other free services are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week:

• call or text 1737 for support from a trained counsellor
• Lifeline 0800 543 354 or text 4357
• Samaritans 0800 726 666

Your home, workplace or property may need a building assessment by a suitably qualified professional if it is damaged by a major event. This is to ensure it is safe to enter, safe to occupy and does not risk the safety of others.

Get in touch with your tenants to check everyone is safe, and to talk about any damage to your property.

As a landlord, you are responsible for paying for damages caused by a natural disaster, including drying the property if there’s water damage.

What will you and your staff do if a disaster strikes? Putting time into planning for emergencies makes good business sense — it helps keep you and your workers safe and minimises downtime.

Continuity and contingency planning is about being prepared for all types of disruptions, eg an earthquake, broken equipment or losing a supplier — and quickly getting back on your feet.

Use this step-by-step guide to get your plan sorted. It’s vital to your business’s survival.

The Government is providing a $5 million package of emergency support to help businesses significantly affected by the recent flooding in Auckland.
Details will be available soon.

The Auckland Business Chamber is committed to supporting you and your business through this trying time. Please contact us on 0800 005 605 for any help you may need.

If you’re having employment issues get in touch with the Early Resolution Service.

It’s a free phone-based service to help you with workplace issues early, quickly, and informally.

Take care of yourself and your employees during this time.
If it’s not safe for them to work, don’t require them to do so.
Keep communicating with them. You may need to consider changes to your leave policy.

Following the destructive weather events across the North Island, New Zealand Media & Entertainment (NZME) announced on Saturday that one million dollars of advertising will be made available across its print, audio and digital platforms for businesses impacted by these events.