Dear Department of Conservation,
Under the Official Information Act 1982, I request the following information for the period 1 January 2021 – present.
1. Briefings and Key Messages
Copies of any briefings, talking points, or key‑message documents prepared for senior leadership or elected officials that relate to:
forestry slash events
erosion or sedimentation linked to forestry
public communications about forestry impacts
2. Communications Strategy and Perception Management
Copies of any communications plans or strategy documents that include reference to:
“stakeholder messaging”
“public perception”
“communications risks”
“industry engagement”
…where these terms relate to forestry or forestry‑related environmental impacts.
3. External Input Into Public Statements (Refined Clause)
Copies of any final versions of public statements (including press releases, website updates, advisories, or social media posts) relating to forestry that were reviewed, edited, or approved by any external party.
For each such document, please also provide:
a) the name of the external party involved b) the nature of their input (e.g., review, edits, approval) c) the date on which their input occurred
This request does not seek drafts, internal discussions, or emails — only the final published versions and the record of external input.
4. Meetings With Forestry‑Sector Representatives
A list of all meetings held since 1 January 2021 between your agency and:
forestry industry representatives
forestry lobby groups
PR or communications firms acting for forestry interests
the Forest Owners Association
Te Uru Rākau / NZ Forest Service
For each meeting, please provide:
date
attendees
subject or purpose of the meeting
I am not requesting minutes or detailed notes — only the meeting list.
5. Conflict‑of‑Interest Declarations
Copies of any conflict‑of‑interest declarations made by staff involved in:
forestry‑related policy
forestry compliance or enforcement
environmental monitoring relating to forestry
forestry‑related public communications
Format
Please provide all information in digital form. If any part of this request is refused, please provide the grounds for refusal and release all remaining material.

Yours faithfully,

Nigel Gray

Dear OIATeam,
Ref: OIAD‑6124

Tēnā koutou,

Thank you for your letter of 30 April 2026 responding to my request of 22 February 2026.

I am writing to request clarification and further information under the Official Information Act 1982. This request is made in light of several statements in your response that require refinement to ensure the Department’s decision is properly grounded in the Act.

1. Basis for Refusal Under Section 18(e)
Your response refused Parts 3 and 5 of my request under s 18(e) on the grounds that the information “does not exist or, despite reasonable efforts to locate it, cannot be found.”

To assist me in understanding the Department’s decision, please provide:

1.1 Search Methodology
A description of the search steps undertaken for Parts 3 and 5, including:

teams, business units, and individuals consulted

search terms used

systems, databases, and document repositories checked

date ranges applied

any limitations or constraints on the search

This request concerns methodology only, not the content of any documents.

1.2 Definitions Applied
Please provide the Department’s working definitions of:

“external review”

“external input”

“approval by external parties”

“conflict‑of‑interest declaration”

as used when assessing Parts 3 and 5 of my request.

This is to understand how the Department distinguished between:

consultation,

stakeholder engagement,

inter‑agency coordination, and

external influence over final public statements.

2. External Input Into Public Statements (Part 3)
Your response states:

“this type of engagement is not considered to equate to public statements.”

To ensure I correctly understand the Department’s position, please provide:

2.1 Clarification of Scope
The Department’s criteria for determining when:

external review,

suggested edits,

factual corrections, or

sign‑off by another agency

does or does not constitute “external input” into a final public statement.

2.2 Inter‑Agency Review
Confirmation of whether the Department excluded from scope any instances where:

MPI, MfE, Te Uru Rākau, regional councils, or other government agencies
reviewed or commented on DOC’s forestry‑related public statements.

If excluded, please provide the basis for that exclusion.

3. Conflict‑of‑Interest Declarations (Part 5)
Your response states that no declarations were located.

To clarify this finding, please provide:

3.1 Registers and Systems
Whether the Department maintains:

conflict‑of‑interest registers,

annual declaration records,

onboarding declarations, or

project‑specific conflict registers

for staff involved in:

forestry‑related policy

compliance or enforcement

environmental monitoring

public communications relating to forestry

If such registers exist, please confirm whether they were searched.

3.2 Policy Framework
Copies of the Department’s policies or procedures governing:

when staff must declare conflicts of interest

how such declarations are recorded

where they are stored

who is responsible for maintaining the register(s)

4. Statutory Timeframe and Extensions
Your letter states:

“more time is required to prepare the Department’s response for release.”

Please confirm:

4.1 Extension Basis
Whether this constitutes a further extension under s 15A of the OIA.

If so, please provide the statutory ground(s) relied upon.

If not, please provide the legal basis for extending the timeframe beyond the date previously notified.

5. Public Interest Considerations
Your response states that no public interest factors outweigh withholding.

Please provide:

5.1 Public Interest Assessment
The factors considered under s 9(1), including:

environmental impacts of forestry

erosion and sedimentation risks

transparency of public communications

external influence over official statements

accountability in regulatory and monitoring functions

and the reasons these were assessed as insufficient to outweigh withholding.

Administrative Notes
This request is made in good faith to ensure the Department’s decision is fully understood and properly grounded in the Act. It does not seek to revisit the substance of the original request, but to clarify the reasoning and processes underlying the Department’s response.

I look forward to your reply.

Yours sincerely,

Nigel Gray