Thank you for contacting us.
We check messages during business hours on Monday to Friday (excluding
public holidays), and will get back to you within a business day. In the
mean time:  
- For urgent queries or to report an incident, call 0800 800 401. This
line is open 24/7. Or report it online at
www.waikatoregion.govt.nz/report-it.  
- For rates queries, call 0800 800 401 option 1 or visit
www.waikatoregion.govt.nz/rates.  
- For other info, visit [1]www.waikatoregion.govt.nz
Nga Mihi

Customer Experience Team

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References

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1. http://www.waikatoregion.govt.nz/

Thank you for contacting us. Your reference for this matter is
REF240127353.

We will respond to you within two working days.

If you have any questions, or want to provide an update please call
[1]0800 800 401 and provide your reference number.

Please note that our office hours are Monday to Friday 8am to 5pm.

If life or property is at risk, please call [2]111.

Your submitted request:

In relation to consent application, granting of funding and Waikato
Regional Council (WRC) support for Moehau Environment Group Incorporated
(MEG), operating on the Coromandel Peninsula and also some very closely
related organisations, namely Predator Free Hauraki Coromandel and the
Predator Free Hauraki Coromandel Community Trust. Please provide the
following information under the official information Act: 1. Funding
History - Please provide the full funding history between Waikato Regional
Council and Moehau Environment Group Inc from the earliest association to
the most recent date. Such information will show application date, brief
outline & amount required and amount supplied and also showing any
applications declined and if so please provide reason. 2. Express Consent
- The most recently available financial performance report for years 2021
and 2022 show that Moehau Environment Group are claiming pest control over
an area comprising 15,000 ha of which much is private land so please
provide information showing the named incorporation has express consent on
file from each of the private land holders, showing agreement to be
administered within a pest control program and defined map area. **Rest of
content is in email attached under document tab**

Thank you

Waikato Regional Council

References

Visible links
1. file:///tmp/tel:0800800401
2. file:///tmp/tel:111

Kia ora Ryan

Council has received your request for information and it will be responded
to under the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987.
A decision on granting your request, and the subsequent information will
be with you as soon as possible but in any event by 20 February 2023 being
20 working days.

If you have any questions please let me know.

Jennie

Jennie Cox​  |  OFFICIAL INFORMATION AND PRIVACY ADVISOR  |  Democracy, Customer, Community and Services
WAIKATO REGIONAL COUNCIL | Te Kaunihera ā Rohe o Waikato
P: [1]+6478590897
M: [2]+64275501896
F: [3]facebook.com/waikatoregion
Private Bag 3038, Waikato Mail Centre, Hamilton, 3240

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Kia ora Ryan

 

With regard to your request for information, the request has been scoped
with our team.

As it presented Council can advise the following regarding your request
council would be considering the following:

o declining the request under Section 17(f) of the Local Government
Official Information and Meetings Act.
o Applying a charge - If we are able to provide the resources to
complete a request of this size, we would consider applying a charge. 
It is estimated that complete the request would be approximately 45
hours of work, and a charge would be applied to 35 hours.  The
estimated cost for this release would be $1330 including GST. 
o Rescoping the request to be more manageable.  Suggestions on how this
could be done has been provided below.

 

If you could please respond to me on preferred option by 9 February 2024,
this would provide sufficient time for Council to make it’s decision
regarding your request.

 

Nāku iti nei, nā

Jennie

 

 

 

 

In relation to consent application, granting of funding and Waikato
Regional Council (WRC) support for Moehau Environment Group Incorporated 
(MEG), operating on the Coromandel Peninsula and also some very closely
related organisations, namely Predator Free Hauraki Coromandel and the
Predator Free Hauraki Coromandel Community Trust.

 

Please provide the following information under the official information
Act:

 

1.  Funding History - Please provide the full funding history between
Waikato Regional Council and Moehau Environment Group Inc from the
earliest association to the most recent date.  Such information will show
application date, brief outline & amount required and amount supplied and
also showing any applications declined and if so please provide reason. 
Suggestion: Either providing a table of information containing the project
details and amounts, along with the application OR refining the timeframe
by going back as far as 2016 for documents as requested. – please advise

 

2.  Express Consent - The most recently available financial performance
report for years 2021 and 2022 show that Moehau Environment Group are
claiming pest control over an area comprising 15,000 ha of which much is
private land so please provide information showing the named incorporation
has express consent on file from each of the private land holders, showing
agreement to be administered within a pest control program and defined map
area.  Council confirms we do not hold this information.

 

3.  Toxin Applications -  In the above mentioned document, the
incorporation reports 3 toxin applications in 2022 in 403 bait stations -
please provide the application and consent notice associated with these 3
events and provide map area showing exact location of these toxin
applications as well as all monitoring results and a full summary showing
which toxin was used, how many kg of toxin in each of the 3 applications
and if these applications were conducted by employees, contractors or
volunteers and if the applications were notified and if so provide any
objections or submissions in support.  Suggestion: reducing the request to
provide the associated project application and monitoring results. –
please advise

 

4.  Stoat Ferret and Weasels - results monitoring - The MEG financial
performance report document for 2021 and 2022 further states  230 stoats
trapped in 2022 which averages around 20 stoats every month which is high
and up considerably on the year before as well a 35 weasels caught - again
up one third on the year before.  Please provide all monitoring data
showing where all these mustelids are being caught and please release the
latest financial performance report with the most recent figures as these
are not available online and if these are being caught by volunteers in
the area or if they are being caught by MEG employees and contractors.
Suggestion: reducing the request by providing the general monitoring
report and general financial report. – please advise

 

5. Natural Heritage Fund - In July 2020 Waikato Regional Council announced
funding for Waikato community groups working on landscape scale predator
control projects and WRC press release stated the following: All the
projects are collaborations between many parties, including landowners,
Māori, the Department of Conservation, communities, councils and local
businesses, and all include volunteer labour ranging from 300 to 6000
hours per year. This funding will create at least six fulltime jobs a year
for four years to help support economic recovery in the Waikato.  Please
provide an update as to how many full time jobs were generated by the
$400,000 grant to Moehau Environment Group and how many full time jobs
were generated under Pukewharariki Ngahere and Wai Landscape Restoration
Project of $390,038. Suggestion: time can be reduced on this question if
the information relates to just one project. – please advise

 

6. Project Performance - Given we are now in 2024 and the final year of
funding for both the above mentioned projects, please update us on these
two programs along with the employment generated and the results showing
that the funding was assessed and awarded in a diligent manner with
measurable success able to be shown to the public who were made to fund
these grants programs. Suggestion: we provide the links to the council
meetings agendas and minutes where these NHF applications were approved
and reporting has occurred.  -please advise.

 

7. Predator Free Hauraki Coromandel Community Trust - Please provide
information relating to any funding or supply agreement or relationship of
any kind between Waikato Regional Council and Predator Free Hauraki
Coromandel and the Predator Free Hauraki Coromandel Community Trust along
with summary for each entity showing funding and or consent applications,
and how much each entity received across the span of the relationship with
summary brief showing description and funding supplied and if any
applications were declined or unsuccessful please state the reasons
funding was declined.  Furthermore if there are additional groups that are
being funded in any other manner by WRC for conservation from Coromandel
Town north then please supply a full list of all partners,
concessionaires, stakeholders and groups related to matters of
conservation.  Suggestion: this is able to be reduced by providing a list
of the groups being funded for conservation in these areas. – please
advise.

 

8. Rongoū Rahui - In 2022 a Rahui was designated over Te Moehau by Mana
Whenua to protect the maunga from 1080 poison and the Rahui was widely
supported by local men and women also opposed to the aerial operation for
1080 poison upon the mountain which took place on 1st  September 2022 -
please provide all information relating to consent for this application to
poison and if the resource consent was made through WRC, please release
the application in full and all supporting documentation relating to the
consent as well as response to Rahui by WRC as consenting entity and
please supply notices of complaint and objection if any, and please also
confirm and supply evidence, that WRC holds the express consent of all
land owners affected, to issue consent to poison, should documents show
joinder between WRC by way of consent for the specified 1080 operation.
Council confirms we do not hold this information.

 

 

It would have been great if these documents were already made available to
the public so we can search this information out ourselves however I am
finding it harder to obtain information on these community led groups who
are operating on vast amounts of government revenue.

 

 

Jennie Cox​​​​  |  OFFICIAL INFORMATION AND PRIVACY ADVISOR  |  Democracy, Customer, Community and Services
WAIKATO REGIONAL COUNCIL | Te Kaunihera ā Rohe o Waikato
P: [1]+6478590897
M: [2]+64275501896
F: [3]facebook.com/waikatoregion
Private Bag 3038, Waikato Mail Centre, Hamilton, 3240

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References

Visible links
1. file:///tmp/tel:+6478590897
2. file:///tmp/tel:+64275501896
3. https://www.facebook.com/waikatoregion

Morena Ryan

 

Please find attached our response to your questions.

 

Nāku, nā Jennie

 

Jennie Cox​​​​  |  OFFICIAL INFORMATION AND PRIVACY ADVISOR  |  Democracy, Customer, Community and Services
WAIKATO REGIONAL COUNCIL | Te Kaunihera ā Rohe o Waikato
P: [1]+6478590897
M: [2]+64275501896
F: [3]facebook.com/waikatoregion
Private Bag 3038, Waikato Mail Centre, Hamilton, 3240

show quoted sections

References

Visible links
1. file:///tmp/tel:+6478590897
2. file:///tmp/tel:+64275501896
3. https://www.facebook.com/waikatoregion