13082 (2026). Celia Wade-Brown to the Minister of Conservation

13082 (2026). Celia Wade-Brown to the Minister of Conservation: How will the Department of Conservation investment of $5.5 million over five years be spent to support Predator Free Wellington Te Whanganui-a-Tara, broken down by organisation, year, and area of funding?

Hon Tama Potaka: The Department of Conservation’s investment of $5.5m to support Predator Free Wellington will be spent on activities associated with achieving one of the 19 goals in the new ‘National Action Plan 2026-2030’ for the Predator Free 2050 Programme. That goal is: “One New Zealand city is free of predators by 2030”. The actions associated with that goal as set out in the Plan are: Progress multi-species, multi-landscape eradications, with a focus on reducing costs, addressing critical knowledge gaps and demonstrating benefits; Progress the expansion of Predator Free Wellington across urban, peri-urban and rural landscapes and capture learnings, and; Develop the innovative tools and techniques needed for urban and rural eradications. For the 2025/26 financial year, the Department has provided funding of $507,000 to Predator Free Wellington Inc. to support their preparation for expansion. The details of the new contract between the Department of Conservation and Predator Free Wellington Inc., for a five-year period, are currently in negotiation between the parties.