7411 (2024). Hon Dr Duncan Webb to the Minister of Conservation

7411 (2024). Hon Dr Duncan Webb to the Minister of Conservation: Has the Minister spoken to the Chief Executive of Forest and Bird NZ and if so did he, in that conversation, state words to the effect that he was aware that some species would become extinct while he was Minister of Conservation?

Hon Tama Potaka: My recent conversation with the Chief Executive of Forest & Bird NZ included references to the challenges that the Department of Conservation faces given the approximately 4,000 species that are most at risk in New Zealand. Accordingly, I shared my view that some species could become extinct, but by focusing efforts on high-value conservation domains (including species) we could reduce such risks.