OIAD-3731
16 February 2024
Ryan
[FYI request #20181 email] Tēnā koe Ryan
Thank you for your request to the Department of Conservation, received on 18 January 2024,
in which you asked for:
Habitat Tuateawa made an application that was consented by Department of Conservation, to
carry out a toxin application in September 2023. The stipulation that wild pigs be controlled
prior to use and that the toxin may not be used where pigs are present, has been removed.
1.
Please release the information and supporting documentation relied upon to update
and remove this as consent stipulation given widely accepted recognition of the
presence of wild pigs.
2.
Please also provide an information update as to the success and monitoring of the
2023 consented operation.
3.
If the operation did not go ahead for any reason, please provide information showing
why not.
4.
Please provide information in relation to any current proposals for deployment of toxins
by Habitat Tuateawa in 2024
5.
Please provide any updated strategic plan that has been submitted or planning
documents involving Tuateawa area - please supply in full.
6.
Please supply all monitoring for the most recent trapping only trial in Tuateawa by
Habitat Tuateawa commencing July 2023.
7.
Please provide information showing how many current volunteers are conducting
trapping for habitat tuateawa on a regular basis
8.
Please provide information showing how many sub-contractors or paid employees,
casual or otherwise are deployed to maintain traps.
We have considered your request under the Official Information Act 1982 (OIA).
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Your questions and our responses are listed below:
1. Please release the information and supporting documentation relied upon to update
and remove this as [a] consent stipulation given widely accepted recognition of the
presence of wild pigs.
We have interpreted this question as requesting any information or supporting
documentation around any removal of typical consent conditions relating to pigs. DOC
Performance Standards for this pesticide use, in relation to pigs, were not removed
from the application. Accordingly, we have no information to supply.
I am therefore
refusing your request under section 18(e) of the OIA because the information does not
exist.
2. Please also provide an information update as to the success and monitoring of the
2023 consented operation.
As the operation was not undertaken, no monitoring information was provided to the
Department. I am therefore refusing your request under section 18(e) of the OIA
because the information does not exist.
3. If the operation did not go ahead for any reason, please provide information showing
why not.
An email sent on 30 October 2023 from Habitat Tuateawa informed the Department
they would not be undertaking the approved baiting programme for 2023 as they could
not meet all the standards required.
4. Please provide information in relation to any current proposals for deployment of toxins
by Habitat Tuateawa in 2024.
Habitat Tuateawa informed the Department they will not be applying for pesticide use
in 2024 therefore this part of your request is refused under section 18(e) of the OIA
because the information does not exist.
5. Please provide any updated strategic plan that has been submitted or planning
documents involving Tuateawa area - please supply in full.
The Department has not received any updated strategic plan. I am therefore refusing
your request under section 18(g) of the OIA because the information is not held by the
Department.
6. Please supply all monitoring for the most recent trapping only trial in Tuateawa by
Habitat Tuateawa commencing July 2023.
The Department does not hold any information relating to a trapping only trial in relation
to Habitat Tuateawa commencing July 2023. I am therefore refusing your request under
section 18(g) of the OIA because the information is not held by the Department.
7. Please provide information showing how many current volunteers are conducting
trapping for habitat tuateawa on a regular basis.
The Department has not received any information regarding the current volunteer
numbers for Habitat Tuateawa. I am therefore refusing your request under section
18(g) of the OIA because the information is not held by the Department.
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8. Please provide information showing how many sub-contractors or paid employees,
casual or otherwise are deployed to maintain traps.
The Department has not received any information regarding the current employee or
sub-contractor numbers for Habitat Tuateawa. I am therefore refusing your request
under section 18(g) of the OIA because the information is not held by the Department.
Item
Date
Document description
Decision
1
30 August 2023 Habitat Tuateawa withdrawal of pesticide use
Released in part
permission 2023
I have decided to release the relevant parts of the document listed above, subject to
information being withheld under the following sections of the OIA:
• section 9(2)(a) – to protect the privacy of natural persons, including deceased people
• section 9(2)(g)(ii) – to protect employees from improper pressure or harassment.
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 Official Information Act.
Please note that this letter (with your personal details removed) and the attached document
may be published on the Department’s website.
Nāku noa, nā
Tinaka Mearns
Director Operations Hauraki/Waikato/Taranaki
Department of Conservation
Te Papa Atawhai
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