That commitment is budgeted to cost the Government $3.2billion and will be made available for a 12-week period from June 10.
High-growth and new firms that are "pre-revenue" and recognised by Callaghan Innovation will also be eligible for the subsidy as well as those that can show an expected 50% revenue drop.
The subsidy will be paid out as a lump sum to cover eight weeks.
Findex managing director Scott Mason wanted the scheme to be better targeted at businesses that had exhausted capital keeping staff but were hit with a 30% or 40% drop in revenue.
"I just wonder whether there’s a big tranche of smaller, medium businesses in that group that actually do have a future but aren’t going to be eligible," he said.
"That actually could be the difference between survival or not."
There was a big boost in support for exporters — $216million that will boost New Zealand Trade & Enterprise’s [NZTE] support of local businesses in foreign markets.
Otago Southland Employers Association chief executive Virginia Nicholls was pleased with the $150million fund for loans — administered by Callaghan Innovation — to go to research and development [R&D] firms.
She said it would ensure those businesses could continue their work put at risk by Covid-19.
A further $80million was set aside for entrepreneurs and businesses to claim tax deductions on failed projects.
For small to medium enterprises [SME] there was $10million to include more online activity in their business models as well as $15million towards business advice, such as in dealing with Government or applying for grants.
Otago Chamber of Commerce chief executive Dougal McGowan said the Government had delivered a focus on keeping people employed and he was pleased money was put into retraining programmes.
There was also $11.4million to go towards boosting productivity in the primary sector via means such as robotics in horticulture.
The Commerce Commission will get $30.4million over three years to help it deal with the impact of Covid-19 on competitive markets, consumers and regulated industries.
