But Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy says O’Connor is scaremongering and election year grandstanding.
O’Connor said Finance Minister Bill English’s budget papers showed National planned to cut the funding to control possums at TB vectors to just $7m in the 2015-116 Budget.
“This will have a big impact on New Zealand’s reputation.
“Our ability to export into many markets depends on us keeping bovine TB at the lowest possible level possible.
“This cut to the funding puts our reputation and export sectors at real risk.
“It will also have a big impact on our environment and our native animals.
“Experience has shown that without on-going control, possum numbers will escalate quickly, as they are the main TB vector or carrier, and we will see bovine TB affecting more herds across NZ.
“Instead of tackling this important issue Nathan Guy is being a possum in the headlights as usual,” O’Connor said.
But Guy responded saying “As a farmer and the Minister for Primary Industries I know how important it is to fund TB management programmes.
“A funding review is underway to determine contributions from the Crown, regional councils and industry from 2015/16 onwards and no decisions have been made yet.
“Mr O'Connor’s scaremongering about future Crown funding during consultation is just blatant grandstanding from the West Coast MP who is worried about a strong challenge from local National candidate Maureen Pugh.
“When final decisions have been made, they will be fed into the 2015 Budget process.
"It’s important to note that MPI's total funding has increased by $17.4m in Budget 2014, which sees a strengthening of the biosecurity system.
“Biosecurity funding is up by $2.2m and overall funding has doubled since 2000,” Guy said.
