The coordinator of an East Coast pest control and habitat recovery project says axing the Jobs for Nature scheme could be devastating for Māori employment nationwide.
The Government says there will be no further funding for the Covid-era scheme after 2026, and it booked a $55 million saving in the Budget by clawing back unallocated money.
Ora Barlow says the 150-thousand hectare Raukūmara Pae Maunga projecthas been an incredibly successful partnership between Te Whānau-a-Apanui, Ngāti Porou and the Department of Conservation.
It’s also had a significant economc impact on the region.
“The impact of having an infrastructure this large – having those 34 jobs – what this means is that we have to be very thoughtful of how we’re going to approach the next couple of years,” Ms Barlow says.
Jobs For Nature projects have a high proportion of Māori workers.
