OIAD 5797 Response Keith.pdf

Suze Keith
Department of Conservation
Conservation House

18-32 Manners Street
fyi-request-32701-
Wellington 6011
[email address]
doc.govt.nz

2 March 2026
Ref: OIAD-5797

Tēnā koe Suze
Thank you for your request to the Department of Conservation (DOC), received on
31 October 2025, in which you asked for:
1.  I would like all correspondence, reports, documents, meeting minutes, file notes, etc,
you have on record regarding the proposal to develop 4 open cast mines,
underground mine, industrial cyanide processing plant, permanent waste tailings
dam, engineered land forms and miners caravan park 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 September 15, 2025, until present day.
We have considered your request under the Official Information Act 1982 (the OIA).
On 26 November 2025, we extended the timeframe to respond to your request to
26 January 2026 due to the large quantity of information sought and the consultation necessary
to make a decision on the request.
On 27 January 2026, we advised you that we required more time to complete your request.
Thank you for your patience while we actioned your request. We apologise for the delay and
note that you have the right make a complaint to an Ombudsman about this delay.
Please find attached as Appendix A, information in scope of your request which includes
correspondence and any remaining documentation within the requested period. Where
applicable, email attachments are provided beneath the relevant email chain unless they are
addressed elsewhere in the appendix, withheld in full, or have been provided or refused in
previous requests.
I have decided to release the relevant parts of the documents listed in the document schedule
below, subject to information being withheld under one or more of the following sections of the
OIA, as applicable:

•  personal information, under section 9(2)(a) – to protect the privacy of natural persons,
including deceased people,

•  commercially sensitive information, under section 9(2)(b)(i ) – to protect the commercial
position of the person who supplied the information, or who is the subject of the
information,
•  free and frank expression under section 9(2)(g)(i) – to maintain the effective conduct of
public affairs,
•  information subject to legal privilege, under section 9(2)(h) - to maintain legal
professional privilege,
•  confidential information, under section 9(2)(j) – to enable the Crown to negotiate
without disadvantage or prejudice.
•  improper gain or advantage, under section 9(2)(k) – to prevent the disclosure or use of
official information for improper gain or improper advantage.
In making my decision, I have considered the public interest considerations in section 9(1) of the
OIA and determined there are no public interests that outweigh the grounds for withholding.
You are entitled to seek an investigation and review of my decision by writing to the
Ombudsman as provided by section 28(3) of the OIA.
Please note that this letter (with your personal details removed) and attached documents may
be published on DOC’s website.

Nāku noa, nā

Lynn Hansberry
Acting Director Regulatory Systems Performance
Department of Conservation
Te Papa Atawhai

2

Document schedule
Item
Date
Document description
Decision
1
12 August 2025
Email correspondence
Some information
to 29 October
is withheld under
2025
section 9(2)(a).

2
29 October 2025   Email correspondence
Some information
withheld under
section 9(2)(h).
3
28 October 2025
Email correspondence
Some information
withheld under
sections 9(2)(a)
and 9(2)(h).
4
21 October to 28
Email correspondence
Some information
October 2025
withheld under
sections9(2)(a) .
5
24 October 2025
Email correspondence
Some information
- 28 October
withheld under
2025
sections 9(2)(a).
6
24 October 2025
Email attachment: CIT Feedback
Released in full.
7
21 October to 28
Email correspondence
Some information
October 2025
withheld under
sections 9(2)(a)
and 9(2)(h)
8
27 October 2025
Email correspondence
Some information
withheld 9(2)(a).
9
24 October 2025
Email correspondence
Released in full.
10
22 October 2025
Email correspondence
Some information
to 24 October
withheld 9(2)(a).
2025
11
23 October 2025
Email correspondence
Some information
withheld 9(2)(a).
12
23 October 2025
Email correspondence
Some information
withheld 9(2)(a)
and 9(2)(j).
13
21 October 2025
Email correspondence
Some information
to 22 October
withheld 9(2)(a).
2025
14
22 October 2025
Email correspondence
Some information
withheld 9(2)(a).
15
22 September
Email correspondence
Some information
2025 to 24
withheld 9(2)(a).
September 2025
3

16
22 October 2025 Email correspondence
Some information
withheld 9(2)(a).
17
15 October 2025
Email correspondence
Some information
to 21 October
withheld 9(2)(a)
2025
and 9(2)(j)
18
17 October to 20
Email correspondence
Some information
October 2025
withheld under
sections 9(2)(a)
and 9(2)(h)
19
20 October 2025
Email correspondence
Some information
to 22 October
withheld under
2025
section 9(2)(a)
20
17 October 2025
Email correspondence
Some information
withheld under
section 9(2)(a)
21
13 October 2025
Email correspondence
Some information
withheld under
section 9(2)(a)
22
9 October 2025
Email correspondence
Some information
withheld under
sections 9(2)(a)
and 9(2)(h)
23
10 October 2025
Email correspondence
Some information
withheld under
section 9(2)(a)
24
18 September
Email attachment: Bendigo-Ophir Gold
Released in full
2025
Project – DOC feedback on proposed
concessions
25
18 September
Email attachment: Example special
Released in full
2025
conditions for concessions
26
17 September
Email attachment: DOC – Section 78
Released in full
2025
Conditions – Concessions
27
None
Plan of Section 1 Block IX Lauder S.D.
Released in full
28
23 September
Email correspondence
Some information
2025 to 9 October
withheld under
2025
sections 9(2)(a)
and 9(2)(k)
29
9 October 2025
Email correspondence
Some information
withheld under
section 9(2)(a)
30
23 September to
Email correspondence
Some information
9 October 2025
withheld under
section 9(2)(a)
4

31
6 October 2025
Email correspondence
Some information
withheld under
section 9(2)(a)
32
2 October 2025 to Email correspondence
Some information
3 October 2025
withheld under
sections 9(2)(a),
9(2)(g)(i), and
9(2)(h)
33
2 October 2025
Email correspondence
Some information
withheld under
section 9(2)(a), and
9(2)(b)(i )
34
2 October 2025
Email correspondence
Some information
withheld under
section 9(2)(a)
35
23 September to
Email correspondence
Some information
30 September
withheld under
2025
section 9(2)(a)
36
29 September
Email correspondence
Some information
2025
withheld under
section 9(2)(a)
37
22 September
Email correspondence
Some information
2025 to 25
withheld under
September 2025
section 9(2)(a)
38
22 September
Email correspondence
Some information
2025 to 23
withheld under
September 2025
section 9(2)(a)
39
24 September
Email correspondence
Some information
2025
withheld under
section 9(2)(a)
40
16 September
Email correspondence
Some information
2025 to 23
withheld under
September
section 9(2)(a)
41
23 September
Email correspondence
Some information
2025
withheld under
section 9(2)(a)
42
23 September
Email correspondence
Some information
2025
withheld under
section 9(2)(a)
43
22 September
Email correspondence
Some information
2025
withheld under
sections 9(2)(a)
and 9(2)(k)
5

44
18 September
Email correspondence
Some information
2025 to 22
withheld under
September 2025
section 9(2)(a)
45
22 September
Email correspondence
Some information
2025
withheld under
section 9(2)(a)
46
16 September
Email correspondence
Some information
2025 to 22
withheld under
September 2025
section 9(2)(a),
9(2)(h), 9(2)(j), and
9(2)(k)
47
16 September
Email correspondence
Some information
2025 to 18
withheld under
September 2025
section 9(2)(a),
9(2)(h), and 9(2)(k)
48
16 September
Email correspondence
Some information
2025 to 18
withheld under
September 2025
section 9(2)(a) and
9(2)(k)
49
None
Email attachment: Agenda from Matakanui
Some information
Gold Limited
withheld under
section 9(2)(a) and
9(2)(h)
50
19 September
Email correspondence
Some information
2025
withheld under
sections 9(2)(a),
9(2)(g)(i), and
9(2)(h)
51
17 September
Email correspondence
Some information
2025 to19
withheld under
September 2025
sections 9(2)(a)
and 9(2)(h)
52
17 September
Email correspondence
Some information
2025 to 18
withheld under
September 2025
sections 9(2)(a),
9(2)(g)(i) and
9(2)(h)
53
17 September
Email correspondence
Some information
2025 18
withheld under
September 2025
sections 9(2)(a)
and 9(2)(g)(i)
54
17 September
Email correspondence
Some information
2025
withheld under
sections 9(2)(a)
and 9(2)(g)(i)
6

55
17 September
Email correspondence
Some information
2025
withheld under
section 9(2)(a)
56
4 September to
Email correspondence
Some information
19 September
withheld under
2025
sections 9(2)(a)
and 9(2)(k)
57
18 September
Email correspondence
Some information
2025
withheld under
section 9(2)(a)
58
17 September
Email correspondence
Some information
2025
withheld under
section 9(2)(a)
59
9 September
Email correspondence
Some information
2025 to 16
withheld under
September 2025
section 9(2)(a)
60
15 September
Email correspondence
Some information
2025 to 16
withheld under
September 2025
section 9(2)(a)
61
16 September
Email correspondence
Some information
2025
withheld under
section 9(2)(a)
62
16 September
Email correspondence
Some information
2025
withheld under
section 9(2)(a)
63
None
Email attachment: Media Statement –
Released in full.
Otago Goldfields Heritage Trust – Santana
Minerals and Shepherds Creek Road
Access
64
8 September
Email correspondence
Some information
2025 to 12
withheld under
September 2025
section 9(2)(a)
65
None
Email attachment: Template for DOC SME
Released in full.
project feedback – FT projects
66
22 September
Notes from Santana Wildlife Session 22
Released in full.
2025
Sept 2025
67
October 2025
DOC feedback on Wildlife (lizards and bats) Withheld in full
October 2025
under section
9(2)(g)(i).
68
None
Section 3 BOGP Working Draft Substantive Released in full.
Application Report – Project Description
69
October 2025
DOC feedback on Heritage
Withheld in full
under section
9(2)(g)(i).
7

70
October 2025
DOC feedback on Indigenous Vegetation
Withheld in full
under section
9(2)(g)(i).
71
October 2025
DOC feedback on Freshwater
Withheld in full
under section
9(2)(g)(i).
72
None
Summary of reports provided by Santana
Released in full
Minerals as part of pre-lodgement
consultation
73
22 September
DOC feedback on invertebrates
Withheld in full
2025
under section
9(2)(g)(i).

8