OIAD-3986
15 May 2024
Stephen Prendergast
[FYI request #26448 email]
Tēnā koe Stephen
Thank you for your request to the Department of Conservation, received on 16 April 2024, in
which you asked for:
1) The appointment documents including all related correspondence for the Report
writer as well as the other members of the hearings panel for the Turoa Concession
Application by Pure Turoa.
2) Correspondence between DOC and the Report writer and the hearings panel
during the period of the hearings and the submission of the report.
We have considered your request under the Of icial Information Act 1982.
Your questions and our responses are listed below:
1.
The appointment documents including all related correspondence for the Report
writer as well as the other members of the hearings panel for the Turoa Concession
Application by Pure Turoa.
The report writer and other members of the hearings panel were appointed verbally. We
have identified three related documents within the scope of this request, Conflict of Interest
forms for the report writer and other hearing panel members, which are listed as items 1 to 3
in the table at the bottom of this response for your reference.
2.
Correspondence between DOC and the Report writer and the hearings panel during
the period of the hearings and the submission of the report.
Item 4 in the table includes all correspondence between DOC, the Report Writer and the
hearings panel during the period of the hearings and the submission of the report (26
February 2024 to 28 March 2024). To avoid duplication of emails, we have collated email
chains (which include previous emails) in chronological order where possible.
Page 1 of 3
Items 5-7 are at achments contained within the correspondence.
I have decided to release relevant parts of the documents listed below, subject to information
being withheld under one or more of the following sections of the Of icial Information Act, as
applicable:
• personal contact details of officials, under section 9(2)(a) – to protect the privacy of
natural persons, including deceased people,
Please note that item 6 (although within scope of your request) is withheld in full via section
9(2)(g)(i) of the Of icial Information Act. The draft version of this document is withheld to
maintain the effective conduct of public affairs.
In making my decision, I have considered the public interest considerations in section 9(1) of
the Official Information Act and determined there are no public interests that outweigh the
grounds for withholding.
You are entitled to seek an investigation and review of my decision by writing to an
Ombudsman as provided by section 28(3) of the Of icial Information Act.
Please note that this letter (with your personal details removed) and attached documents
may be published on the Department’s website.
If you would like to discuss this response with us, please contact Stephanie Bowman,
Permissions Regulatory Delivery Manager, by email t
o [email address].
Nāku noa, nā
Stacey Wrenn
Director Regulatory Authorisations (acting)
Department of Conservation
Te Papa Atawhai
Page 2 of 3
Table 1 - Schedule of documents
Item
Date
Document description
Decision
1
19/02/2024
Report writer C Norgate conflict of
interest form
Released in full
2
20/02/2024
S Bowman Conflict of interest form
Released in full
3
18/03/2024
C Green Conflict of interest form
Released in part
4
26/02/2024-
Correspondence between DOC and the
28/03/2024
Report writer and the hearings panel
Released in part
5
19/03/2024
Pure Tūroa Submission themes
spreadsheet
Released in full
6
19/03/2024
Draft Objections and Submissions
Summary Report
Withheld in full
7
28/03/2024
Final Objections and Submissions
Summary Report
Released in part
Page 3 of 3
