Taonga Levy a good step towards protecting New Zealand’s wildlife

11 August 2016

A Taonga Levy for international visitors would be an excellent step towards making New Zealand predator free, according to Forest & Bird, New Zealand’s largest conservation organisation.

The levy announced today by Green Party Co-leader James Shaw is a good step towards funding conservation in New Zealand.

The levy would increase existing border charges by $14 - $18 per person and raise around $66 million annually. $46 million of this would go towards making New Zealand predator free.

“An extra $46 million each year would move New Zealand’s dream of becoming predator free by 2050 forward significantly” says Kevin Hackwell, Advocacy and Campaigns Manager for Forest & Bird.

“The present Government has already committed $7 million a year to achieving a predator free New Zealand by 2050 and the $46 million raised from a taonga levy tax would mean a six-fold increase in the funding already promised.”

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