5. Question No. 5—ConservationANAHILA KANONGATA'A-SUISUIKI (Labour) to the Minister of ConservationQuestion No. 5—Conservation5. ANAHILA KANONGATA'A-SUISUIKI (Labour) to the Minister of Conservation: How has Jobs for Nature supported local communities with employment opportunities and conservation efforts?Hon POTO WILLIAMS (Minister of Conservation): Kia orana e te Vaa Tuatua. Jobs for Nature is continuing to provide our local communities with employment opportunities and conservation outcomes across New Zealand. Since 1 July 2020 over 4000 people have been supported into employment opportunities thanks to Jobs for Nature. Across the Waikato Maniapoto and Coromandel regions 14 Jobs for Nature projects will support up to 200 people into a variety of conservation work which will see them upskill and focused on protecting our natural environment biodiversity and predator control. These grassroots projects go a long way in helping us reach the targets we set in 2016 to be predator-free by 2050. Dr Tracey McLellan: How is Jobs for Nature supporting communities in the Canterbury regions?Hon POTO WILLIAMS: Six Jobs for Nature projects across Canterbury will provide employment opportunities for more than 70 people by establishing a network of coastline trapping setting up a native plant nursery undertaking restoration work and planting around Lyttelton Harbour and increasing pest control across Banks Peninsula and Christchurch. This is important work that has been made possible through Jobs for Nature funding.Hon Jacqui Dean: Can she confirm that in Q4 the cost per job created by Jobs for Nature is now $140000? Hon POTO WILLIAMS: The member should recall that Jobs for Nature projects range across a four-year period and that costings for those jobs are scaled across that period. So in one quarter it may be higher than in other quarters when they may be lower.Anna Lorck: How is Jobs for Nature supporting communities in the Hawke's Bay region?Hon POTO WILLIAMS: Six Jobs for Nature projects across the Hawke's Bay will provide up to 60 nature-based employment opportunities and go a long way to contribute to really ambitious conservation efforts across the region. Several of the initiatives are iwi-led creating new opportunities for them to contribute their knowledge and skills while working towards shared conservation goals through planting wetland restoration maintaining tracks weed control and pest control.Anahila Kanongata'a-Suisuiki: How has Jobs for Nature supported local communities with job certainty?Hon POTO WILLIAMS: Jobs for Nature has been instrumental in providing job certainty across New Zealand—Hon Paul Goldsmith: It's a short-term scheme.Hon POTO WILLIAMS: —particularly during the period when our borders were closed Mr Goldsmith. In Queenstown we've provided over 51 employment opportunities through the Tucker Beach reserve project and in Auckland we have helped over 300 employment opportunities. These projects are required to pay at least the living wage and we have just celebrated Labour Day. I want to take this opportunity to acknowledge the fantastic front-line staff at the Department of Conservation as well as the hundreds of workers supporting our natural environment through Jobs for Nature.