Bendigo Ophir Gold Mine proposal - request 3
Suze Keith made this Official Information request to Department of Conservation
The request was partially successful.
From: Suze Keith
Kia ora DOC Team,
1. I would like all correspondence, reports, documents, meeting minutes, file notes, etc, you have on record regarding the proposal to develop a series of open cast goldmines in the Bendigo Ophir - Dunstan Mountains area by Matakanui Gold / Santana Minerals. Regardless of whether they are associated with fast track consenting or any other process.
2. From May 26, 2025 until present day.
Nga mihi,
Suze Keith
From: do-not-reply
Department of Conservation
Kia ora Suze,
Thank you for your official information request to the Department of
Conservation, received on 27/06/2025.
Your reference number is OIAD-5384.
We will endeavour to respond to your request as soon as possible and no
later than 25/07/2025, 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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From: do-not-reply
Department of Conservation
Kia ora Suze,
Thank you for your OIA request to the Department of Conservation which was
received on 27/06/2025
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-5384.
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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From: do-not-reply
Department of Conservation
OIAD 5384 Documents for release.pdf
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OIAD 5384 Response Keith.pdf
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Kia ora Suze,
Please find attached the Department of Conservation’s response to your
request, which we received on 27/06/2025.
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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From: Suze Keith
Tēnā koutou katoa,
Thank you for your reply. I would appreciate it if someone could answer my questions below. There are a number of documents referred to in this response, which I would like to request:
1. the detail of each activity / permissions as requested by DOC to Santana Minerals on 19.3.25
2. the draft application documents and background reports noted by DOC on 29.5.25
3. the memo that was attached to the email from Santana to DOC on 19.5.25
4. the Santana letter dated 29.5.25
5. the heritage reports referred to on slide 5 of the slide deck.
In addition I would appreciate the opportunity to hear why the contents of the slide deck (pages 27-37) have been redacted because of OIA 9(2)(ba)(i). In your application of Section 9 of the OIA DOC is required to express why refusing the release of information is more important than serving the public interest. The response you have given does not explain why the clause listed outweighs the public interest. We
know that there is significant public interest in the Santana mining proposal - as you also note in this response, but cannot see this considered in your response. Given the objective for our request mentioned above, and especially as the Act beds in, in practice our view is that there is a real public interest in
making copies of the information sought available. If you consider otherwise, please give reasons.
Santana Minerals are obliged to share information with DOC when making applications under the Act so as to allow decisions to be made on fast track applications. If applicants want consent, they need to provide information. Why would publishing the details in the slides mean they will stop supplying information? I'd be keen to learn how DOC sees it's role under the FTAA - i.e. not a decision-maker but an affected party - and how this relates to the information you receive.
Kind regards,
Suze Keith
From: do-not-reply
Department of Conservation
Kia ora Suze,
Thank you for your official information request to the Department of
Conservation, received on 23/08/2025.
Your reference number is OIAD-5592.
We will endeavour to respond to your request as soon as possible and no
later than 19/09/2025, 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.
References
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1. mailto:[email address]
2. https://www.doc.govt.nz/footer-links/pri...
From: do-not-reply
Department of Conservation
Kia ora Suze,
Please find attached the Department of Conservation’s response to your
request, which we received on 23/08/2025.
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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1. mailto:[email address]
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