33903 (2025). Hon Priyanca Radhakrishnan to the Minister of Conservation

33903 (2025). Hon Priyanca Radhakrishnan to the Minister of Conservation: What advice, if any, did he request from his officials about the potential danger to lizard populations from OceanaGold’s plans to clear grass and vegetation to expand operations at the Macraes gold mine and on what date did he make each such request?

Hon Tama Potaka: As I was not informed about the declined application at the time the decision was made by the Department of Conservation (as noted in my answer to WPQ 33898 (2025)), I had not requested advice from officials about the potential danger to lizard populations from OceanaGold’s plans to clear grass and vegetation to expand operations at the Macraes gold mine.