19‐E‐0449
DOC‐6014525
25 July 2019
K Lane
fyi‐request‐10674‐[email address]
Dear K Lane
This letter is in reply to your Official Information Act 1982 (OIA) request to the Department
of Conservation (DOC) of 4 July 2019.
Context
Until the middle of last year, when the nature and volume of incidents changed, DOC staff
and others involved with the Department did not routinely record incidents of threats,
harassment and abuse. While we had some anecdotal knowledge that these were occurring,
these incidents had become normalised as part of the work. Any incidents that were
reported locally may not have been escalated within DOC or to Police. There was no
centralised recording of these events until a new logging system was put in place for 2019.
DOC’s landscape scale pest control programme drives a large proportion of anti‐DOC
sentiment and activity. However, our staff and contractors are subjected to threats,
harassment and abuse for the other activities that DOC undertakes in the course of our
work, including, for example, concession compliance, whitebait control and campground
fees.
DOC encourages every New Zealander to be actively engaged in conservation. We respect
the right of individuals and groups to discuss the issues that are important to them and us,
and the right to exercise freedom of speech and peaceful protest. However, we also take the
health and safety of our staff and others undertaking conservation work very seriously and
have a zero tolerance to actions which threaten harm or endanger them.
Response
In response to your OIA request:
Department of Conservation Te Papa Atawhai
Whare Kaupapa Atawhai / Conservation House
PO Box 10420, Wellington 6143,
www.doc.govt.nz
Stuff reported on 2 July 2019 that 69 threats were recorded to DOC staff between Oct 2017 and
May 2019.
1) How many of these 69 were specifically related to 1080?
As outlined above, DOC believes threats were under‐reported before 2019. DOC does not
therefore have accurate data on all threat incidents from 2017 to 2018.
Notwithstanding these data limitations, information available shows 69 reported threats
from October 2017 to May 2019. 45 of these threats are recorded as being related to 1080.
14 reported threats related to 1080 were recorded in 2019.
2) What was the nature of each of those 1080 related threats i.e. what form did they take
e.g. Facebook comment, letter written, verbal abuse, physical abuse) how many of
each?
Facebook comments: 38
Letter written: 1
Verbal abuse: 6
Physical abuse: 0
3)
Have any of these cases been refered to police? How many and which ones?
Yes. Please note that incidents may be referred to Police or Netsafe (under the criminal or
civil arm of the Harmful Digital Communications Act 2015).
Incidents reported are not restricted to threats, and will include abuse, harassment or
comments that breach social media community standards.
Number of items referred to Police: 15
Details: Provided as comments
A letter detailing threats to Taranaki DOC staff was received at the New Plymouth
office in retaliation to the use of 1080 poison.
“Choppers shot out the sky is gunna fuckn happen"
Interaction with member of the public which resulted in abuse and threats to kill.
Feedback to promotion of an engagement session: "Fuck 1080 on Maori Land or on
any land in NZ...Shoot those helicopters out Stop 1080 Drops."
Comment to shoot helicopters down with automatic weapons
Harassment of security guards involved in 1080 operations.
Social media comment relating to contractor activity at Hokitika airport: “Shoot the
bastards down”
Social media threat: “Next goon out will be the one the cops can’t find”
Social media comment: "Fucking wankers id shoot the cunts".
Department of Conservation Te Papa Atawhai
Whare Kaupapa Atawhai / Conservation House
PO Box 10420, Wellington 6143,
www.doc.govt.nz
Social media comment regarding burning down a 1080 storage shed. "Time to burn
that shit down but I didn’t say it".
Social media comments to shoot helicopters down.
Social media comment regarding helicopters: "Shoot them"
Social media comments to burn a bait store.
Social media discussions about the use of drones at 1080 operations, which would
pose a significant safety risk.
Social media comments regarding helicopter operations:
"Shoot it down" and "Hopefully some legendary hero shoots them down".
With regard to reports in the media in 2018 that a DOC worker had had his wheel nuts
loosened by an anti‐1080 person:
There were two wheel nut incidents recorded by DOC in 2017, however these incidents are
not recorded as being specifically related to 1080.
4) Was the vehicle in question a private vehicle or a DOC vehicle?
One was a DOC vehicle and one was a private vehicle.
5) Did the vehicle have DOC markings or logos on it?
The DOC vehicle was marked.
6) Was the vehicle being driven by a person employed by DOC at the time of the incident?
Yes.
7) What evidence was there to suggest that it was a 1080 protestor that loosened the
wheel nuts?
This information is not recorded in our systems and therefore is unable to be provided.
8) Had the vehicle recently been for a wheel alignment?
This information is not recorded in our systems and therefore is unable to be provided.
9) Was there a police report into the incident? If so, please provide copy if held by you?
The matters were referred to Police. DOC do not hold a copy of any resulting Police
report/s.
10) Was there a DOC incident report? If so, please provide copy.
These events predated our current incident logging system, however the two events were
entered into our risk manager system, and copies of the two event logs are attached in
Appendix One. Please note information has been redacted from these records to protect
individual privacy.
11) Was there an insurance claim made on the damage to this vehicle? If so, please provide
copy.
No. Insurance claims were not made as there was no damage to the vehicles.
Department of Conservation Te Papa Atawhai
Whare Kaupapa Atawhai / Conservation House
PO Box 10420, Wellington 6143,
www.doc.govt.nz
While I have provided answers to your questions above, please note I am withholding some
details of the incidents under section 9(2)(a), to protect the privacy of natural persons. In
making my decision, I have considered the public interest considerations in section 9(1) of
the Official Information Act. It is vitally important that DOC staff are able to operate in a safe
environment.
You are entitled to seek a review of my decision by writing to an Ombudsman pursuant to
section 28(3) Official Information Act.
Yours sincerely,
Karen Jones Deputy Director General, People and Engagement
Department of Conservation
Department of Conservation Te Papa Atawhai
Whare Kaupapa Atawhai / Conservation House
PO Box 10420, Wellington 6143,
www.doc.govt.nz
Appendix One
Extracts from Risk Manager. Typos and grammatical errors are unaltered as part of
transcript
Incident Summary transcript 1
Incident Summary: 797099 – Missing Wheel nuts
Status: Closed
Details
Reporting Line: Operations: Ops HWT Region: Hauraki
Location: Tahuna
Type: ‐
Date: Time 04 Sep 2017: 3:00PM
Categories ‐
Risk Rating 3. Medium
Secondary Risk Classification Safety: Harassment/Threat: External Harassment
Injured or Key Person NAME REDACTED
Manager managing the Incident NAME REDACTED
Other People Involved NAME REDACTED (Hauraki)
Description
I picked up a vehicle and headed towards NAME REDACTED House early Monday morning. I
did my pre start checks in the yard. I picked up NAME REDACTED and We drove to
Hamilton. In the afternoon We drove to NAME REDACTED house to drop him off before
heading back to Hauraki. NAME REDACTED bent down to un tie his dog and noticed the two
wheel nuts missing. We substituted the nuts for some NAME REDACTED had at his house
for the correct size before I drove back to Thames. Before I left NAME REDACTED house We
checked the other wheel nuts on the vehicle. All but one wheel had loose nuts
Immediate Corrective Action Taken
Fit wheel nuts check all wheel nuts where tight
Investigation
Investigation Leader NAME REDACTED
Date Completed 25 Oct 17
Estimation of Cost/Loss
Start Date: 25 Oct 17
Description of Findings
No further internal investigation will be undertaken as this matter has been reported to the
police as a suspected acto of vandalism. Ploce have an open file for this and related
incidents
Department of Conservation Te Papa Atawhai
Whare Kaupapa Atawhai / Conservation House
PO Box 10420, Wellington 6143,
www.doc.govt.nz
Close Reason / Comments No further outstanding action apart from ongoing vigilance
Corrective Actions ‐
Notes & Documents Link ‐
Injured Persons – No Injured persons
Contributory Factors ‐
Incident Summary transcript 2
Incident Summary: 799096 – Missing Wheel Nuts, 2nd Incident 2017
Status: Closed
Details
Reporting Line: Operations: Ops HWT Region: Hauraki
Location: Thames
Type: ‐
Date: Time 11 Sep 2017: 5:30PM
Categories ‐
Risk Rating 3. Medium
Secondary Risk Classification Safety: Harassment/Threat: External Harassment
Injured or Key Person NAME REDACTED
Manager managing the Incident NAME REDACTED
Other People Involved NAME REDACTED (Hauraki)
Description
NAME REDACTED arrived home and noticed a wheel nut missing on REDACTED private
vehicle, on the rear drivers side. On checking REDACTED found 2 others loose on the same
rear wheel, and 4 out of 5 the nut stud pattern loose on both front wheels. 11 of 20 wheel
nuts were all loose enough to turn with fingers.
Immediate Corrective Action Taken
Tightened wheel nuts. Informed staff with cars parked in the same area to check their cars.
Following day: Updated police, called immediate staff meeting to inform staff & increase
awareness. Re‐checked all departmental vehicles with calibrated torque wrench.
Marked all wheel nuts with a paint indicator seal to identify movement
Investigation
Investigation Leader
Date Completed
Estimation of Cost/Loss
Start Date: 15 May 18
Department of Conservation Te Papa Atawhai
Whare Kaupapa Atawhai / Conservation House
PO Box 10420, Wellington 6143,
www.doc.govt.nz
Description of Findings
Close Reason / Comments No further outstanding action apart from ongoing vigilance
Corrective Actions ‐
Notes & Documents Link
Notes
7977099 – Missing Wheel nuts
Link to 1st incident of missing / loose wheel nuts: 5 Sept 2017
Time Stamp
12 Sep 2017
09:36AM
NAME REDACTED
Injured Persons – No Injured persons
Contributory Factors ‐
Hazards linked to this Event ‐
Privacy insert
Department of Conservation Te Papa Atawhai
Whare Kaupapa Atawhai / Conservation House
PO Box 10420, Wellington 6143,
www.doc.govt.nz
