Election 2020: Greens pledge $50 million for kauri dieback out of Jobs for Nature package

Kauri dieback has been ravaging parts of the Waitākere Ranges, Auckland. Photo / File

The Greens have pledged $50 million over two years to save the North Island's mighty kauri forests from dieback disease.

Kauri have been dying at alarming rates and spread through the upper North Island, despite a range of initiatives to control and contain the fungal disease.

The Ministry of Primary Industries (MPI) had aimed to have a Kauri Dieback National Pest Management Plan in place in the middle of last year, but this had been delayed because of funding issues.

"Kauri are an incredibly important taonga for Aotearoa and the Greens want to go further and faster to keep them healthy and standing," Green Party Co-leader Marama Davidson said.

"They are an important part of Aotearoa's natural heritage, but without a political commitment to help protect them, they are facing potentially fatal threats from kauri dieback.

"Kauri urgently need increased support and resources. Government agencies, iwi, and regional councils have done what they can over the last few years with limited funding."

The funding would run over two years and come out of the $1.1 billion Jobs for Nature package announced in this year's Budget.

The Greens would also push to for additional long-term funding if needed, Davidson said.

Conservation spokeswoman Eugenie Sage said under their plan DoC would partner with iwi and regional councils to upgrade tracks to protect kauri roots, and control pests such as pigs which help spread kauri dieback.

"It would increase investment in matauranga Māori science and help improve surveillance, public education, monitoring and enforcement action."

The Green Party, which unveiled the kauri protection plan this morning in Auckland's Oratia at the foot of the Waitākere Ranges, would also shift the lead central government agency to DoC.

"MPI has been unable to secure enough funding for a National Pest Management Plan for kauri," Sage said.

"DoC would ensure that protection and work on kauri dieback gets the commitment and priority attention it deserves; instead of it being just one of the many biosecurity issues MPI is responsible for."

The shift would likely require changes to the Biosecurity Act, Sage said.

"The Government has managed to find $100 million over four years to prevent the spread of wilding pines so we definitely need at least $50 million over two years to look after our most iconic indigenous trees."

Looking after kauri would also create jobs, Sage said.

"Building new boardwalks and hunting pigs are great ways to employ locals in Northland, Auckland and the Coromandel. It's a win for jobs and nature."

The $50m adds to the $33m budgeted for science and research, and other funding allocated including $5.4m in 2020/21 for kauri dieback and track upgrade work on public conservation land; $3.2 million allocated to MPI for kauri dieback; and $2 million allocated by the Provincial Growth Fund to Northland Regional Council.