Kawau predator plan sparks opposition

The Kawau pest eradication plan faces hurdles as some landowners signal resistance

An ambitious government-backed plan to rid Kawau Island of wallabies, rats, possums and stoats may fail if persistent community division over elements of the proposal can’t be resolved.

If successful, the initiative would make Kawau the largest permanently inhabited island in the Hauraki Gulf to be pest free. However, the authors of a new feasibility report warn that unless all residents get onboard, the project is unlikely to proceed.

Its advocates say it will boost the island’s biodiversity, help the...