18Submissions

1. Any person may make a submission on a draft minerals programme.

2. A submission under subsection (1) must be received by the chief executive not later than 40 working days after the date of public notification under section 17.

3. If any submission is made under this section, the chief executive must, following the expiry of the time for making submissions, arrange for a report and recommendations to be made to the Minister in respect of all submissions.

4. The Minister must consider the report and recommendations made under subsection (3) and may make such changes to the draft minerals programme as the Minister thinks fit.

5. Despite the provisions of the Official Information Act 1982, if a request is made by any person for disclosure of information contained in a submission, the department or Minister to whom the request was made may refuse to make the information available if the department or Minister is satisfied that—

6. such refusal is necessary to avoid serious offence to tikanga Māori or to avoid the disclosure of the location of wāhi tapu; and
7. in the circumstances of the particular case, the importance of avoiding such offence or disclosure outweighs the public interest in making that information available.