Planning and Funding
P O Box 1600,
Telephone: 0064 3 364 4130
CHRISTCHURCH
Fax: 0064 3 364 4165
[email address]
16 March 2020
Wendy Pond
Secretary, Manu Waiata Restoration & Protection Society
2225 Wyuna Bay Road
Coromandel 3581
Email: [email address];
[FYI request #12439 email]; Dear Wendy
RE Official information request WCDHB 9406
We are writing to acknowledge your email dated 13 March 2020 requesting the following information under the
Official Information Act from West Coast DHB regarding clarification of our responses to Official Information Act
requests WCDHB 9391 and WCDHB 9394. Specifically related to Buller River 1080 aerial operation November
2019.
May I please ask for this clarification:
•
The conditions for permission for use of aerial poisoning in catchments of the Buller river that resulted
in carcasses being washed up in public places, were written by the Medical Officer of Health. She did
not audit the operation.
•
Without being present and without an audit, by what means does the HSNO Enforcement Officer know
that the conditions of permission were adhered to?
•
Who is responsible for ensuring the safety of public health when an aerially dispersed VTA is used, and
when effects occur outside the boundaries of the permitted operation?
We will consider your request against the provisions of the Official Information Act (see below) and advise you
of our decision regarding the release of information within 20 working days (being the statutory timeframe
provided within the Act.) Accordingly, we will notify you, no later than 15 April 2020, of our decision. (Please
note this includes Good Friday and Easter Monday public holidays).
Your request is being handled by Kathleen Smitheram. If you have any queries, please feel free to contact
either myself (details above) or Kathleen.
([email address]; Phone 364-4134). Please
refer to the OIA number above when phoning or emailing.
If any additional factors come to light which are relevant to your request, please do not hesitate to contact us
so that these can be taken into account.
Yours sincerely
Wayne Turp
Project Specialist
15 Decisions on requests
(1) Subject to this Act, the department or Minister of the Crown or organisation to whom a request is made in accordance wit
h section 12
or is transferred in accordance wit
h section 14 of this Act o
r section 12 of the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act
1987 shall, as soon as reasonably practicable, and in any case not later than 20 working days after the day on which the request is received
by that department or Minister of the Crown or organisation,—
(1)(a) decide whether the request is to be granted and, if it is to be granted, in what manner and for what charge (if any); and
(1)(b) give or post to the person who made the request notice of the decision on the request
[If we are unable to make a decision on your request by the date noted above, we will notify you of an extension of that timeframe.]