33898 (2025). Hon Priyanca Radhakrishnan to the Minister of Conservation

33898 (2025). Hon Priyanca Radhakrishnan to the Minister of Conservation: When was he or his office first notified that the Department of Conservation was declining OceanaGold’s permit application to clear grass and vegetation to expand operations at the Macraes gold mine and what action, if any, did he take as a result?

Hon Tama Potaka: The Department of Conservation did not notify either myself or my office prior to declining OceanaGold’s permit application to clear grass and vegetation to expand operations at the Macraes gold mine. I became aware of the declined application following correspondence from OceanaGold that was received on 6 July 2025. Upon learning about the declined application, I asked the Department to provide me with an overview of the situation.