$10m to boost Predator Free into central Auckland, but what about cats?
Friday, 5 June 2026
With plans to dramatically expand pest trapping across Auckland's central suburbs, households are being warned they may need to think about the impact of a predator much closer to home - the family cat.
As the Government announced a $10 million funding boost to the goal of a predator free New Zealand on Friday, the problem was put into stark focus.
“Last night 70,000 native birds died,” said NEXT Foundation chief executive Andrew Grant. “Just to put it into perspective, we’re losing 25 million indigenous birds a year.”
But, new funding to come from the international tourist levy will see the Predator Free 2050 programme extended to the Auckland isthmus for the first time.
“We want to see it as Kupe saw it,” said Grant.
Read more:
Ferry furore? Wayne Brown directs review of routes amid fuel crisis
Character housing lobby goes to court to fight ‘biased’ intensification panel
The NEXT Foundation, founded by philanthropists Neal and Annette Plowman, has also pledged $150m for the national effort over 10 years.
Conservation Minister Tama Potaka said Auckland’s new mainland programme would initially be targeting an area between Pt Chevalier and Tāmaki.
“We need to get rid of all the rats in Ponsonby - the four legged ones,” he said.
But, what will it mean for the urban jungle’s most prolific predator? Potaka said the Government hadn’t “yet” turned its mind on controlling house cats
“There's a big set of advocates who want to microchip all cats, and there's some also that want limits of the number of cats in a household,” he said.
His message to Aucklanders: “Look after your cats and make sure that, you encourage them not to chase the native birds. But not Canadian geese, they must go.”
North Shore councillor Richard Hills said his household had made the decision to be feline-free.
“Our son would love a cat, but no, we've decided that because of the destruction that cats cause that I feel a bit too guilty about that.”
A conversation around cats would need to be had with Aucklanders.
“How do we work with a system where households love their cats, but also make sure that the environment's not being ripped apart by them?” Hills said.
Meanwhile, Potaka acknowledged that to make the Auckland isthmus predator free would ultimately require “hundreds of millions rather than the tens”.
“Stoats are notoriously trap shy, and you can spend a lot of money getting one stoat, like tens of thousands of dollars,” he said. “It's an ambitious vision, but we don't achieve extraordinary outcomes by thinking small and retreating back into our little rua, our potato hole.”
Potaka - the MP for Hamilton West - suggested that Auckland’s population density could be an advantage.
“You've got 2 million people living up here in North Hamilton to do the job.”
Albany Councillor Victoria Short, whose ward has been at the forefront of Auckland’s pest-free efforts, knows the value of community trapping even if she doesn’t like handling the catch.
“I had a trap - my husband set it up and he was the one that had to dispose of the possum because I just couldn't.
“It is a bit morbid, I'm not going to lie, but at the same time, it's a great learning activity for our families.”
Ngāti Manuhiri’s Mook Hohneck, whose iwi is a partner in the regional conservation programme along with Auckland Council, thanked Potaka for his efforts in getting funding across the line.
“Because we all know what happens when the car runs out of gas and stops moving. It turns to rust.”