Queenstown Mayor Jim BoultBeneficiaries in Otago have climbed almost 50% since the Covid-19 pandemic began. While the entire region has been rocked by redundancies as a result of Covid-19, the Queenstown Lakes and Central Otago districts have been particularly hard hit. Only 29 work-ready jobseekers were on the dole in the Queenstown Lakes District in February. Queenstown Lakes Mayor Jim Boult said that was why New Zealand's "own goals" in the quarantine process in recent weeks came as such a blow. Things were looking more positive in the commercial construction sector, with most of the hotel projects already underway getting back into action post-lockdown.

Source: Otago Daily Times June 25, 2020 17:48 UTC