Minister of Civil Defence Peeni Henare said the money would support the delivery of food parcels by local authorities and civil defence emergency management groups, as well as fund or reimburse foodbanks, community food organisations and other welfare providers.
It would also help fund emergency accommodation until temporary accommodation could be arranged.
Queenstown Lakes Mayor Jim Boult said the extra funding was good news, and given the district was the worst affected by the pandemic, he hoped it would get a ‘‘big chunk’’ of it.
It would allow the district council’s emergency operations centre, which had received more than 7000 requests for welfare assistance, to continue providing food vouchers.
He also hoped it would allow the centre to assist people with unmet medical or transport needs.
Queenstown Salvation Army director of community ministries Lieutenant Andrew Wilson said the extra money would ensure the organisation could continue delivering food parcels and winter bedding to those in need as the country moved to Alert Levels 3 and 2.
Mr Boult and Mr Wilson are part of a group of community leaders who have asked Minister of Social Development Carmel Sepuloni to extend the unemployment benefit to migrants on short-term visas until they are able to be repatriated or placed in new roles.
A spokeswoman for Ms Sepuloni said the minister was ‘‘aware of the issues raised’’, but her focus was on getting immediate help to those who needed it.
