Rena help in balance

It was the news Bay of Plenty business owners have been waiting to hear - the Government will step up and help firms affected by the Rena oil spill.

And while any compensation is better than none, some business owners fear the subsidy will not see them through the ongoing crisis.

Many shops and services have suffered since the container ship grounded on the Astrolabe Reef a month ago, spilling its oil into the once pristine Bay waters.

The assistance plan will help businesses that rely on the sea and coastline and operate within or near the maritime exclusion zone along the Bay of Plenty coast.

While the final decisions have not yet been made on the revenue thresholds for those affected, the Chamber of Commerce - which formed the plan with Work and Income - says the companies in need of support were those deemed to have suffered a "significant impact" to business.

But one business spoken to by this newspaper had not generated any revenue since the ship grounded yet was not eligible for any compensation. Another business owner said while the offer was a nice gesture, six weeks would only take them until Christmas. Graeme Butler from Tauranga Dolphin Company is uncertain what will happen to his business after that.

Stuart Arnold, who owns and operates Dolphin Seafaris, was pleased his staff would be looked after but says the compensation will not cover larger costs for his business, such has mortgage repayments and overheads. These businesses are certainly not being ungrateful. The grounding of the ship was by no means the Government's fault and it has no obligation to provide compensation. But perhaps they have a right to be scared - like many in this region they rely on the sea to keep their business going. Is six weeks of compensation enough, when the crisis at this stage has no end in sight? Will everyone in need be covered when the plan only allows for cover for 120 people?

It would be nice to think that the companies responsible for the ship's grounding would offer some support to those whose livelihoods face such uncertainty. But until this happens, we must hope that the Government will continue to support Bay businesses and, come Christmas, if this disaster is not resolved, that it reassess compensation. With an election only weeks away, there will be Bay voters who will support a party that promises to look after them well into the future.