NZOIA Response to COVID-19 - Updated 13 November 2020
At the time of writing the Ministry of Health reports a total of 1,995 cases of COVID-19 in New Zealand. There are 53 active cases.
All of New Zealand is at Alert Level 1.
Protect yourself and others from COVID-19. While it is not mandatory to wear a mask on public transport during Alert Level 1, it is encouraged.
All of New Zealand should continue to do the following:
- sign into places, using the NZ COVID Tracer app or keep a record
- maintain good hygiene practices
- stay home if you’re unwell and get a test.
Specific advice for Play, Active Recreation and Sport at the different alert levels can be found on Sport NZ’s website and this will be updated as new information comes to hand.
Strict border measures will remain as COVID-19 is uncontrolled in many areas overseas. The new cases have emerged through the NZ border are a reminder that COVID-19 is still a threat to NZ.
NZOIA Office and Course Updates
NZOIA Office Updates
Courses - NZOIA Courses can still operate under Alert Level 1 and 2. You can view our Risk Management of COVID-19 on NZOIA Courses here:
Risk Management of Covid-19 on NZOIA courses - Level 1
Risk Management of Covid-19 on NZOIA courses - Level 2
Symposium – Unfortunately due to the continued uncertainty of Alert Levels, Dilworth and NZOIA have jointly agreed to cancel this year’s Symposium. All attendees will receive a full refund or credit. Tertiary Scholarship students will have the option of joining the 2021 Symposium.
Membership – Annual membership and registration fees were due on the 1 July 2020. There are a couple of options to assist you maintain your membership and registration if you experiencing financial hardship due to COVID-19:
- spread out your Full or Associate Member payments over 4 instalments. Due on 1 July, 1 Aug, 1 Sep and 1 Oct. We will renew your membership once the first payment has been made.
- downgrade to Associate Membership and put your qualifications on hold if you are no longer in employment. You can upgrade to a Full Member once you are back in the workforce.
- If you are still experiencing financial hardship, please get in touch to discuss options.
Applications and Course Fees – The 2021 calendar is live. If your course has been cancelled or is cancelled due to COVID-19, you can choose to transfer your application to a future course, hold your fee in credit or request a full refund of your fee which we will honour as soon as we can. All those enrolled on cancelled Refresher Workshops had their qualification extended for 6 months.
Revalidation - Due to the timely implementation of the revalidation review all members who had qualifications expiring on the 30 June 2020 have been given a year extension and are now due on the 30 June 2021. If your qualification is ‘on hold’ until the 30 June 2020 we can extend that another 6 months to give you a chance to attend a Refresher Workshop before the 31 December 2020. Just drop us a line at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and we will make the changes to your membership profile.
Deferment/Reassessment or Training Pathways – The NZOIA Technical Sub Committee has extended all reassessments and training pathways due, until the 31 December 2020. There is no need to contact us as we will do this automatically.
Advice for Members
We understand that this situation has had and will continue to have a big effect on many of our membership, both emotionally and financially. During this time, it is important to take care of ourselves, our whanau and our community. Employers also have a duty to minimise risk to staff. The situation is constantly changing and we need to act decisively.
At Alert Level 1 we all need to be ready in case COVID-19 reappears in the community. Outdoor recreation programmes and courses need to ensure they are following the below Government measures.
Government Measures to be taken against COVID-19 at Alert Levels
Sport NZ Play, active recreation and sport at different Alert Levels
Sport NZ Contact Tracing Guidance and Template
Sport NZ Hygiene and Sanitation Guidance
Recreation Aotearoa have and extensive library of guidelines, webinars and resources to inform and support the recreation industry.
Tourism Industry Aotearoa continue to offer updated advice on COVID-19.
Mountain Safety Council COVID-19 Outdoor Activity guidance remains live and has been updated to reflect the alert level changes. The site was designed to reflect different alert levels in different areas of NZ.
Due for an audit or surveillance?
If, due to COVID-19 impacts, your business is not providing adventure activities at this time you may be able to shift your audit date out by up to six months. If you operating there may be some flexibility available if you are struggling to know when you will be able to undertake a site visit. WorkSafe has determined criteria that the audit providers need to address before they can offer you any flexibility. This includes that the audit provider has ‘high confidence’ in your safety management system. Contact your audit provider to discuss.
Assistance Available
The COVID-19 Leave Support Scheme is available for employers, including sole traders, to pay their employees who can’t work. This may be because they are in one of the affected groups and Ministry of Health guidelines recommend they stay at home, and they can’t work from home.
If you lose your job (including self-employment) from 1 March 2020 to 30 October 2020 due to COVID-19 you may be eligible for the COVID-19 Income Relief Payment. It’s available from 8 June 2020. 12 weeks of payments to help with the living costs after a sudden job loss, and give you time to find other work. Apply on line from the 8 June 2020. The 13 November 2020 is the last day you can apply for this.
Sport and Recreation Recovery Package
On Sunday 17 May the Minister for Sport and Recreation Grant Robertson announced a $265m investment into the Sport and Recreation sector as part of Budget 2020. The funding will be spread over four years and seek to achieve three outcomes.
- Reset and Rebuild
- Strengthen and Adapt
- Different and Better
Sport NZ will consult with the sector in the development of a plan to manage the funding. Details on this consultation process will be provided as a next step.
Bushiness Advisory Funding
The Government has allocated funding to support New Zealand businesses and service providers during COVID-19. The funding will provide support in areas such as HR, health and wellbeing, business continuity, cashflow and finance management, strategy and digital capability. The fund is only for commercial operators not for charitable or incorporated organisations. You will go through a phone consultation and then will be issued vouchers to use with a consultant/advisor worth between $2000 - $5000. Find out more and register here.
Other Funding Avenues
The Gaming Trusts put a lot of money back into the community through sport and recreation. Unfortunately, they too have been hit hard by COVID-19 and is expected they will have less money in the pool to apply for. Funding for Community Groups.
Other funding avenues can be located on the Sport NZ website, however you will need to check if they are up and running again.
If you are experiencing a cough, a high temperature (at least 38 degrees Celsius), shortness of breath, sore throat, sneezing and runny nose and/or temporary loss of smell and have recently been overseas or have been in close contact with someone confirmed with COVID-19 please call the Healthline on 0800 358 5453 or your Doctor immediately.