Christopher Luxon makes conservation and agriculture announcement

22 minutes ago

National has promised to double baseline funding for the Queen Elizabeth II National Trust to $8.5 million if re-elected.

National's Agriculture spokesperson Todd McClay and Conservation spokesperson Tama Potaka joined leader Christopher Luxon at a farm near Papakura - right on the border between Auckland and Waikato - to announce the move on Monday afternoon.

The announcement comes two days ahead of the start of Fieldays at Mystery Creek in Waikato.

Luxon said the funding was about recognising that for nearly 50 years, farmers had quietly been protecting "the best of our natural habitat on their own land, at their own cost".

"QEII is a unique conservation model: voluntary, practical, landowner-led, and offers some of the best-value conservation in the country. Every dollar the government puts in, farmers match many times over. It's great bang for buck for both the taxpayer and nature," he said.

Photo: RNZ / Louis Dunham

"More funding will support landowners with costs like fencing, surveying and legal work - costs that can often stop good projects from going ahead. We back farmers to know what is best for their land, they choose to protect important conservation areas, rather than having rules forced on them."

The QEII National Trust is an independent registered charity set up in law that uses "covenant" agreements to protect privately owned land, with the protections continued even if the land is sold.

These covenants protect more than 5000 pockets of land covering 180,000ha in New Zealand, with the aim of increasing protections for high-value land, enhancing their value, and encouraging work to support their protection.

The Trust received a time-limited boost in Budget 2026, lifting funding from $4.2m a year to $5.8m for 2026 and 2027, and the National campaign pledge would see baseline funding permanently increased to $8.5m.

Tama Potaka.

Photo: RNZ / Mark Papalii

Luxon said National was "the party for farmers", pointing to removing agriculture from the Emissions Trading Scheme, banning full farm to forest conversions, investing in wilding pine control, and other measures.

The funding would "restore the Trust's capacity to take on new covenants and give it the certainty to continue delivering quality support to landowners protecting New Zealand's natural heritage", Potaka said.

"Permanent funding certainty means QEII Trust can plan ahead, respond to growing demand, and continue providing practical support for fencing, weed and pest control, revegetation, and covenant enhancement.

"A huge variety of different ecosystems are found on private land. QEII National Trust prioritises wetlands, sand dune systems, and indigenous lowland ecosystems, as these have suffered the biggest loss."

He said many in the conservation community were reflecting on the contribution of the late former Trust chair Alan Livingston, and the best way to honour his legacy was continuing the work he championed.

Todd McClay.

Photo: RNZ / Mark Papalii

McClay said National wanted the Trust to have security of funding so it could concentrate on protecting land.

"Rural and regional groups have been deeply disappointed that covenant work was scaled back because of a lack of funding, and this commitment will be welcomed by them all," he said.

"The increase will be confirmed in Budget 2027 and will be a permanent, not a time-limited, top up."

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