Rollout of Kauri cleaning stations welcomed
National Party Conservation spokesperson Sarah Dowie has welcomed the Department of Conservation’s rollout of cleaning
stations in response to the spread of kauri dieback.
“Kauri dieback is devastating our forests and one of our most iconic tree species and we must be doing everything we can
to stop it.
“The previous National Government was hugely focused on doing so, initially allocating nearly $30 million dollars to
fast-track and beef up the Government’s response.
“Since then however, the new Government and Conservation Minister Eugenie Sage have been too slow in moving to stop the
spread.
“The Minister needs to start getting more done to ensure that Conservation is not a forgotten priority.
“On top of her inexplicable failure to rollout monitoring cameras on fishing boats to better protect our marine species
she is fast looking like she is either uncommitted to conservation or failing to get the support of her fellow governing
parties to do her job.
“In the meantime action on protecting our environment has gone backwards, kauri dieback continues to spread, and we need
more action from our floundering Government.”