New Zealand First is celebrating $3.5 million funding from the Provincial Growth Fund for a series of projects as a step away from the use of 1080 for predator control.
A press release from the party describes the funding for five trap and lure Predator Free 2050 projects is as "a necessary and significant shift away from the use of 1080.
"That's echoed by Under Secretary for Economic Development, NZ First MP Fletcher Tabuteau who told Newshub "for us - for the Government - but more particularly, for NZ First, this signals a move away [from 1080]".
That's at odds with the Minister of Conservation Eugenie Sage, who's hoping to increase the use of the poison.
"We are only controlling predators using 1080 over 10 to 12 percent of the conservation estate," she told media on Thursday.
"We need to do it over a much larger area. If I had the funding, that would be a priority for investment."If the Government does want to reduce 1080 use, it has advice from officials on the best options - and it's not traps and lures.
Newshub revealed this week officials told Minister Megan Woods that "currently no alternative options exist at the scale required to replace 1080", but that "genetic and fertility control technologies do have potential at scale".
Eugenie Sage has seen similar advice by officials but is ideologically opposed to GE.
"There is no silver bullet, but without the conversation and looking at biotechnologies we simply won't be able to achieve predator-free 2050," Sarah Dowie, National Conservation Spokesperson, told Newshub.
