DOC aims to be more ‘transparent’

Hundreds of public submissions were rendered anonymous by the Department of Conservation as part of a move to make its decision making processes over a controversial proposal more ‘‘transparent’’.

DOC was seeking public input on a concession application for a 30-year lease and license to build and operate accommodation near Knobs Flat in the Fiordland National Park, halfway between Te Anau and Milford Sound.

The application, made by Path New Zealand Ltd, has drawn 153 submissions from the public, of which 142 submissions were against granting the application and 11 supported it.

On Wednesday, DOC published the submissions on its website but redacted the names of all the submitters.

Acting director of planning, permissions and land Andrew Baucke said there was no legal requirement for DOC to put the submissions on its website, but decided to in an effort to make the decision making process more transparent. ‘‘The names were redacted from the submissions relating to the Path New Zealand concession application because the submission form didn’t state that the public submissions will go on our website.’’

However, it does say on the first page of the form that the submissions are public and that the submitters’ name and submission will be included in papers that are available to the media and the public.

‘‘If you wish to keep any part of your submission confidential, you need to state this in writing when making your submission.’’

Baucke said DOC was required under the Privacy Act and the Official Information Act to balance requests for information with an obligation to protect the privacy of individuals.

Changes have now been made to the form and it explicitly says DOC is likely to publish them on the internet and that submitters should request that contact details be removed if they wish to keep them confidential, he said.

There were many reasons people might not want their details made public, including concerns about being contacted by other submitters, affected parties or the media.

Submitters had the right to privacy when making a submission, Baucke said.

‘‘The important thing about submissions is what’s being said about the issue, not who said it.’’

The local office made the decision to publish based on the

strong public interest.

DOC is operating a process for concession applications after a law change in October last year.

Previously DOC considered the application, sought out technical advice before it published a decision report and called for public submission on that decision, Baucke said.

All of the documents including submissions were put on the website once the process had been completed and the decision finalised.

‘‘Now when we receive applications for a new conversation, we call for public submissions before any indication of a decision is made.’’

The new process was more transparent than in the past because information about the application and the submissions were available on the website early in the process, Baucke said.

‘‘The content of the submissions, including issues raised, are out in the public arena much earlier, giving a far greater opportunity for open, transparent discussion.’’

The release of the redacted submissions came more than a week after a panel of DOC staff and the chair of the Southland Conservation Board heard 11 people speak to their submission during a hearing in Te Anau on August 6.

The hearing panel had full information about who the submitters were, Baucke said.

‘‘They had a schedule of submitters and an unredacted copy available, as well as the printed redacted copies of submissions.’’