"There's already a system that works through the export credit office," Ardern said, before adding: "we're working through the detail of whether that should be more broadly applied".
Robertson conceded the assistance offered was "pretty limited" at the moment.
According to a report from 2018, the NZECO effectively insured around $150 million in trade in 2016/17, a tiny fraction of overall exports. According to its website, the NZECO's role is to "support New Zealand exports and the internationalisation of its exporters through the provision of trade credit insurance and financial guarantees".
Neither Robertson nor Ardern would say what might be eligible or what the limit would be, although Robertson conceded that it was a "reasonable point" that the working capital needs of companies could be massive, and this would be considered.
"It does get us into a whole other level."
Elsewhere there was precious little detail of what will be in the Government's "Business Continuity Package", beyond that more details will be announced after on Monday, March 16.
Robertson is also giving a speech to the Wellington Chamber of Commerce on Thursday.
Millions or billions?
Across the Tasman, the Australian Government has said its stimulus package would be worth billions. Asked about this by Mike Hosking on Newstalk ZB, Robertson would not give details other than: "this package will be significant".
Ardern said it could not say how much the package could cost until it was designed. "What we will not do is simply choose a figure and then design something to fit within it."
On Monday the Government said it would offer some sort of wage subsidies to affected business, following calls from the businesses community which the Herald reported on early last week.
This could be similar to what happened in the wake of the Canterbury and Kaikoura earthquakes, where affected businesses had wages subsidised directly by the Government, in a bid to keep the businesses alive on the expectation that they could continue when conditions returned to normal.
But officials have been warning for days that while it was relatively easy to decide who might be eligible in the wake of an earthquake, where the damage happens in particular areas, in the case of Covid-19, it is more difficult, with different sectors and regions affected much more significantly than others.
Ardern said repeatedly that the current situation was different to SARs or the Canterbury or Kaikoura earthquakes and so the response had to be different.
"We have to have a package that is responsive enough over the period of time that will be required," Ardern said.
"We need to plan a package which will be responsive over the next few months, not weeks or days. That we get that design work right is critical so we don't leave businesses out who are genuinely affected by Covid-19." She earlier said, however, that whatever is announced next week, it will "evolve over time".
Asked how she would establish whether businesses were affected by Covid-19, Ardern appeared to simply restate the question, saying it was important the Government "make sure that it is targeted at those who are genuinely affected".
"We don't want to see a situation where wage subsidies are used to subsidise businesses who would otherwise be failing."
She would not say whether businesses would be limited by their size, refusing to limit it to small or medium businesses.
Separately, NZ First MP Shane Jones said that he hoped that some Provincial Growth Fund projects in regions affected by Covid-19 could be expedited, but had no details or particular projects in mind.
The Government has repeatedly said that it will not delay the April 1 increase in the minimum wage to $18.90. This morning National joined the chorus calling for the increase to be delayed. Early in February, Hospitality New Zealand made the same call.
