Dear Department of Conservation,

I understand that as part of Tama Potaka's plan to sell off our national parks, there is an intention, originally announced August 2025, to introduce charges at Milford Sound, Aoraki Mount Cook, Mautohe Cathedral Cove and Tongariro Alpine Crossing following the upcoming election, all so that it could be used to offset (on paper) more wastage of taxpayer funds like tax cuts for foreigners like Peter Thiel. I fail to see how these could be applied, unless those of us whose great-grandparents were born here, or in the case of Maori whose great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-grandparents were born here, will now be required to present ID papers, just to enjoy our national posterity- unless this will be selectively enforced against persons who are of visible Asian or African origin (including those who are New Zealand citizens like us)? Obviously, if only one person in each party must present documents proving themselves as an adult New Zealand citizen, that will just disadvantage those underprivileged New Zealanders who lack such documentation, while being readily exploited by those who might wish to set up an informal business offsetting the charges for foreign tourists as part of a 'guide' package.

As such, I am requesting:
1. All correspondence, emails, text messages, instant messages (including via Teams, Slack, or similar platforms), file notes, memoranda, and any other records of communication (whether internal or external) relating to:
1a) The development, design, or implementation of foreign visitor charges at any Department of Conservation site
1b) The selection of Milford Sound, Aoraki Mount Cook, Mautohe Cathedral Cove, and the Tongariro Alpine Crossing as the initial sites for charges
1c) The proposed charging model, including proposed fee amounts, exemption criteria, identification requirements, and enforcement mechanisms
1d) Any discussions regarding the potential application of charges to New Zealand citizens or residents, or any consideration of ethnic profiling or other discriminatory application of charges
1e) Engagement with the Minister of Conservation, the Human Rights Commission, the Minister's office, other Ministers, or Cabinet regarding these proposals
2. All records of meetings, relating to the foreign visitor charges proposal, including:
2a) Meeting agendas, minutes, notes, and action items, briefing notes, speaking notes, and talking points prepared for or used in any meeting
2b) All aide-memoires, briefings, reports, and information papers prepared for or provided to the Minister, the Minister's office, or senior officials
3. All policy papers, Cabinet papers, Cabinet committee papers, regulatory impact statements, options papers, discussion documents, issues papers, consultation documents, position papers, working papers relating to the foreign visitor charges proposal.
4. All advice, recommendations, reports, research, analysis, cost-benefit analyses, financial modelling, risk assessments, legal advice, and opinions (whether internal or external, and whether in draft or final form) relating to:
4a) The feasibility, legality, or desirability of foreign visitor charges;
4b) The potential revenue from such charges
4c) The costs of implementation and enforcement
4d) The potential impacts on visitor numbers, tourism, local communities, iwi, and conservation outcomes
4e) Any human rights, discrimination, or privacy implications of the charges, including any consideration of identification requirements or differential treatment based on nationality, ethnicity, or residency
5. All records relating to decision-making, including:
5a) Recommendations to the Minister or Cabinet
5b) Decision records, minutes of decisions, and Cabinet minutes
5c) Records of approvals or declinations
5d) Any dissenting advice, alternative views, or minority reports
relating to the foreign visitor charges.
6. All records relating to the implementation or operational planning of foreign visitor charges, including:
6a) Implementation plans, project plans, timelines, and Gantt charts
6b) Operational policies, standard operating procedures, and guidelines
6c) System specifications, technical requirements, and procurement documents for any charging or identification system
6d) Communications plans, media strategies, and public relations materials
6e) Training materials and staff guidance

To ensure that the production of this material can be conducted efficiently, I am happy for this request to be significantly narrowed to only encompass material produced since the current regime took power on 27 November 2023. I request that the information be provided in electronic format, via email response/s to this request that will be logged by FYI. If any part of this request is refused, I ask that you consider whether parts of the documents or information can be released with appropriate redactions.

I look forward to receiving your response within the statutory timeframe of 20 working days.

Kind regards,
Jeremy