13 May 2020

As it happened: Covid-19 updates from NZ and around the world

6:06 pm on 13 May 2020

The prime minister says tomorrow's Budget will be delivered in the most challenging economic conditions faced by any government since the Great Depression.

As Covid-19 spreads around the world, it can be daunting keeping up with the information. For RNZ, our responsibility is to give you verified, up to the minute, trustworthy information to help you make decisions about your lives and your health. We'll also be asking questions of officials and decision makers about how they're responding to the virus. Our aim is to keep you informed.

Speaking at a media conference this afternoon, Jacinda Ardern said around the world unemployment will rise significantly, businesses will fail and close, government revenue will decline, and this country will also feel the pain.

"New Zealand is about to enter a very tough winter, but every winter eventually is followed by spring, and if we make the right choices, we can get New Zealanders back to work, and our economy quickly moving again."

She said the Budget will be the first step in recovery from Covid-19.

"We believe that, when times are hard, you don't cut - you invest."

She said the government will strengthen the blanket of support it provides and investment will also focus on strengthening schools, hospitals, public houses, roads and railways.

"The notion that, in this time of need, we'd make cuts to essential services so many New Zealanders need more than ever is not only immoral, it's economically wrong."

  • If you have symptoms of the coronavirus, call the NZ Covid-19 Healthline on 0800 358 5453 (+64 9 358 5453 for international SIMs) or call your GP

See how the rest of the day's developments unfolded with RNZ's live blog:

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