Kia ora Stephen

Thank you for your official information request to the Department of
Conservation, received on 20/11/2023. 

Your reference number is OIAD-3585.

We will endeavour to respond to your request as soon as possible and no
later than 18/12/2023, being 20 working days after the day your request
was received. If we are unable to respond to your request by then, we will
notify you of an extension of that timeframe.

If you have any queries email us at [1][email address]. 

Ngā mihi

Government Services

Department of Conservation

Te Papa Atawhai

Privacy: Your details have been recorded in DOC's workflow system and will
be used to provide you with a response to, and communicate with you about,
your request. Records are retained, used and disposed of in accordance
with the Privacy Act 2020 and the Public Records Act 2005. See our
[2]privacy statements for more information about how DOC manages personal
information.

Caution - This message and accompanying data may contain information that
is confidential or subject to legal privilege. If you are not the intended
recipient you are notified that any use, dissemination, distribution or
copying of this message or data is prohibited. If you received this email
in error, please notify us immediately and erase all copies of the message
and attachments. We apologise for the inconvenience. Thank you.

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Kia ora Stephen,

 

Thank you for your Official Information Act request to the Department of
Conservation, received on 20 November 2023 in which you asked:

 

‘For the period 20 June to present please supply all correspondence
between either of the minister/DOC and MBIE, or the minister/DOC and Te
Arawhiti where the subject or contents include the terms RAL Concession or
Whakapapa concession or Turoa concession or concession notification or
concession requirements or concession advice.’

 

This email seeks your agreement to refine your request because, as
currently framed, it is very broad and will require searching through a
significant volume of information to locate documents in scope. This is
because the Department has been in regular contact with the MBIE and Te
Arawhiti concerning RAL since June 2023, and the majority of those
communications reference the concessions process in some way. In most
cases, this is a minor point in a broader update or communication on other
matters, or where multiple versions of a draft document are transmitted
between agencies before a final version is confirmed.

 

So that we can locate the documents most relevant to your request in a
timely manner, we are seeking your agreement to refine your request to be
for:  

 

For the period 20 June to 21 November (date of your request):

o A copy of all substantive correspondence between DOC, MBIE and/or Te
Arawhiti primarily related to the RAL/Whakapapa/Turoa concession
process;
o A copy of any extracts of finalised documents shared between DOC, MBIE
and/or Te Arawhiti concerning the RAL/Whakapapa/Turoa concession
process;
o Excluding: any draft documents, emails discussing draft documents, or
emails of an administrative nature

 

Please note that without refinement your request may need to be refused,
pursuant to section 18(f) of the Official Information Act, in that the
request cannot be processed without substantial research and/or collation.
As the proposed refinement to your request will still require significant
collation, review and consultation, we may still need an extension in
order to respond.

 

Please let us know if you are comfortable with the suggested refinements
outlined above and any feedback you may have by close-of-business 7
December 2023 to ensure we can continue processing your request.

 

If you have any questions, or further clarification you wish to make,
please do not hesitate to contact us via return email.

 

Nāku noa, nā

 

Government Services  

Department of Conservation

Te Papa Atawhai

 

 

 

Caution - This message and accompanying data may contain information that
is confidential or subject to legal privilege. If you are not the intended
recipient you are notified that any use, dissemination, distribution or
copying of this message or data is prohibited. If you received this email
in error, please notify us immediately and erase all copies of the message
and attachments. We apologise for the inconvenience. Thank you.

Kia ora Stephen,

 

Thank you for the prompt response.

 

We can confirm that clarification is being sought and section 15(1AB) is
applicable. As such we are not seeking or intending to reset the Official
Information Act request working day clock upon receival of clarification
on your request.

 

As noted below clarification is being sought to enable us to facilitate
your request in a targeted manner which would minimise the likelihood of
any possible refusal under section 18(f) of the act due substantial
research and/or collation.

 

 

Nāku noa, nā

 

Government Services

Department of Conservation

Te Papa Atawhai

 

show quoted sections

Kia ora Stephen

Thank you for your request received on 20/11/2023 to the Department of
Conservation.

We are advising you that we are extending the 20 working day period to
respond to your request, as allowed under section 15A(1) of the Official
Information Act 1982. Please see attached letter for details.

If you have any queries email us at [1][email address] and
quote your reference number OIAD-3585.

Ngā mihi

Government Services

Department of Conservation

Te Papa Atawhai

Caution - This message and accompanying data may contain information that
is confidential or subject to legal privilege. If you are not the intended
recipient you are notified that any use, dissemination, distribution or
copying of this message or data is prohibited. If you received this email
in error, please notify us immediately and erase all copies of the message
and attachments. We apologise for the inconvenience. Thank you.

References

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Kia ora Stephen,

We note that your request was received on 20 November 2023, making a response due on or before 18 December 2023. In this case, an extension (attached) was communicated on 18 December, within the 20-working day timeframe.

Please refer to the guidance available on the Ombudsman website for further information about how working days are calculated under the OIA: https://www.ombudsman.parliament.nz/agen...

Ngā mihi

Government Services
Department of Conservation
Te Papa Atawhai

show quoted sections

Kia ora Stephen

 

 

Thank you for your request received on 20/11/2023 to the Department of
Conservation.

 

 

We are advising you that we have made a decision on your request. Please
see the attached letter for further details

 

 

If you have any queries email us at [email address] and
quote your reference number OIAD-3585.

 

 

Ngā mihi

 

 

Government Services

 

Department of Conservation

 

Te Papa Atawhai

Caution - This message and accompanying data may contain information that
is confidential or subject to legal privilege. If you are not the intended
recipient you are notified that any use, dissemination, distribution or
copying of this message or data is prohibited. If you received this email
in error, please notify us immediately and erase all copies of the message
and attachments. We apologise for the inconvenience. Thank you.

Kia ora Stephen

Further to our letter of 30 January, please find attached our final
response to your request.

If you have any queries email us at [1][email address]. 

Ngā mihi

Government Services

Department of Conservation

Te Papa Atawhai

Caution - This message and accompanying data may contain information that
is confidential or subject to legal privilege. If you are not the intended
recipient you are notified that any use, dissemination, distribution or
copying of this message or data is prohibited. If you received this email
in error, please notify us immediately and erase all copies of the message
and attachments. We apologise for the inconvenience. Thank you.

References

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