Election 2020: The Labour Party promises to pour millions into stopping kauri dieback

Jacinda Ardern on the campaign trail. Photo / Jason Walls

Labour is promising to give New Zealand's native kauri forests the strongest possible protection against kauri dieback, pouring $32 million into the trees' protection.

If re-elected, Labour would roll out the National Pest Management Plan, the strongest form of protection under the Biosecurity Act, to combat the disease.

This plan would cost $6.4m a year and would help "ensure the survival" of kauri forests across the country.

"Our kauri forests are among the most ancient in the world and are a taonga for Māori, protect local ecosystems and they're under threat from kauri dieback," Labour leader Jacinda Ardern said.

Formally identified in New Zealand in 2008, kauri dieback is caused by a microscopic fungus-like organism that effectively starves the tree to death by depriving it of nutrients and water.

Ardern said work is already being done to protect kauri from the disease, "but we have the opportunity to do more to protect our forest giants".

"Their wide ecosystems and the beautiful clean, green brand that makes us proud."

Putting kauri dieback in the National Pest Management Plan (NPMP) means it would be classed as one of the highest biothreats in the country.

It would join Psa-V in kiwifruit, Bovine Tuberculosis and American Foulbrood in the plan.

Labour's biosecurity spokesman Damien O'Connor said putting these diseases in the plan has been been "extremely useful" in ensuring coordinated strategic planning.

"Kauri are a cornerstone of the indigenous forests of the upper North Island, and play a vital role in supporting other native trees and shrubs including tōtara, tānekaha and rewarewa, with orchids and epiphytic plants often found perching in their branches."

Over the past three years the Government has spent more than $60m on science and research efforts to combat kauri dieback.

This year, Biosecurity New Zealand and the Department of Conservation have allocated more than $14m to protect kauri.