Dear Department of Conservation,
1. In April 2017 DoC Hauraki and Waikato Regional Council published advertisements announcing that aerial poisoning with 1080 would be used in the Battle for the Birds on Coromandel forests at Moehau and Papakai. That is, a decision had already been made on the method of control without consulting Coromandel iwi and community.

Please explain why iwi and community were not offered options for control.

2. Coromandel local government has resolutions opposing use of 1080 and supporting hunting and trapping. Please explain why DoC officers did not offer options for control to the Thames Coromandel District Council and to the Coromandel Colville Community Board.

3. The Communications Guideline for aerial 1080 operations states, The operations manager needs to establish the communication processes that are appropriate for the proposed operation. Step One of the Guideline is Consultation on the options for control and their effects ... Consultation will include options for control in the operational area and should take place with individual people ... groups and organisations with a special interest in the area ... entire communities ...

DoC officers who submitted applications for permission to use aerial 1080 in August 2017 declared they had provided evidence of compliance with the Communications Guideline for aerial 1080 operations. Please provide me with copies of the material supplied to the Public Health Officer in evidence of compliance with the Guideline, and any material that explains why Step One of the Guideline was not followed.

4. Please explain why DoC rangers did not offer the community options for control, and at the same time declared they had complied with the Communications Guideline.

Thank you.

Yours faithfully,

Wendy Pond