DOC Statement Regards Tukituki Catchment Submission Decision

The decision not to lodge an early draft submission on the wider environmental aspects of the Tukituki Catchment Proposal with the Environmental Protection Authority was made by the Department of Conservation.

The decision was made after considering all internal advice and followed standard processes.

The decision was taken because DOC considered the conservation values at risk in the Tukituki Catchment did not justify the resource investment required to make a substantive submission.

DOC senior managers make decisions every day on what issues they engage in – balancing conservation priorities against resources.

DOC considers there are medium conservation values in the Tukituki Catchment and it decided to concentrate its submission on the impact of the proposed Ruataniwha Dam on nearby conservation land and fish passage around the dam.

The Minister of Conservation was informed about this decision making process in the standard way.

He did not give direction to DOC about the decision it should make and he did not receive a copy of the internal draft submission prepared by some DOC staff.

As part of that standard process, the Minster did ask for a full briefing on the Department’s decision on the 29th of July.

He received this on the 31st of July and that briefing and the reasons for DOC’s decision are publically available on DOC’s website www.doc.govt.nz/tukituki-catchment .

Doris Johnston

Deputy Director General

Policy and Regulatory Services

ENDS

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