Complaints and Liaison
Company Liaison Officer
The Company Liaison Officer is often the first point of contact for residents in the Waihi community. The Liaison Officer informs residents of activities taking place at the mine, responds to complaints or concerns as they arise, and liaises between residents, management and staff and regulatory authorities.
If, as a member of our community, you are concerned about any aspect of our activities we ask that you call us. Our free phone is attended 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
To contact the Company Liaison Officer:
- Freephone: 0800 924 444 (0800 WAIHI GOLD)
- Email: donna.fisher@oceanagold.com
How do I register a complaint or concern about Oceana’s operations in Waihi?
Below we explain the procedures the company follows to ensure the issue you raise is managed in a sensitive, timely and consistent manner and to identify any internal corrective actions and potential solutions.
We appreciate it when you alert us to an aspect of our operations that concerns you. We hope to establish and maintain a good relationship with you so that between us we can openly discuss matters. When you contact us this course of action is non-judicial.
By Telephone
The company has a free community engagement line (0800 924 444) that is attended by the Company Liaison Officer (CLO) or delegate. This service is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
You can also phone during office hours on 07 863 8192. These calls will be forwarded to the community
engagement line. If you make any grievance calls to our staff or contractors, they are required to refer
you to the CLO.
Sometimes members of the public prefer to phone the district or regional council. When this occurs the
councils inform us so these calls can also be logged and followed up.
- Hauraki District Council 07 862 8609 or 0800 734 834
- Waikato Regional Council 0800 800 401
From time to time our community engagement line receives abusive or prank phone calls. As calls of this
nature often have blocked ID, our staff are advised not to answer those that display blocked ID. We
understand that sometimes people wish to protect their privacy with blocked caller ID. Please leave a
message with your contact details and we will call you back directly.
In Person or in Writing
Our administration office address is;
43 Moresby Avenue,
Waihi 3610
New Zealand
or PO Box 190,
Waihi 3641
New Zealand.
You can email us instead: waihi.info@oceanagold.com
When you contact us…
You will be asked whether your call is in relation to a complaint or a concern and your call will be logged
on a complaints/concerns form. This form prompts the CLO or delegate to record the information we need to identify the issue and plan our appropriate response. It is important you give as much information as possible to enable us to investigate effectively.
We will endeavour to contact you within 24 hours to discuss with you the steps taken or to be taken. Our
internal actions and our response to you will be recorded.
As part of the investigation the CLO may wish to visit you for further discussion or site inspection or you
may request that we visit. Depending on the nature of the issue, the CLO may be accompanied by a staff
member who has knowledge or skills specific to the topic.
We may wish to follow-up with you afterwards to determine if the outcome was effective. This will depend on the issue and agreed time-frame to carry out the action.
After the initial form is completed the CLO enters all actions relating to complaints and concerns into an
Access database system for reporting and periodic analysis.
Reporting
The CLO communicates any issues that could affect the running of the mining operation to the General
Manager or designate and reports all complaints and concerns to the daily production meeting.
The CLO is also required to provide six-monthly reports to Hauraki District Council and Waikato Regional
Council that include the following information:
- all complaints received during the previous six-month period
- mitigation actions and the resolutions, if any
- other matters of concern raised by the community
- any mediation entered into by the consent holder and others with respect to operational matters and
- the outcome (unless parties have agreed to keep these matters confidential).
No Resolution?
If, for any reason, you are dissatisfied with our response you may contact the Manager of Planning and
Environmental Services or any other officer of either the Hauraki District Council or the Waikato Regional
Council.
The CLO and/or senior management personnel may meet with you and the relevant council to discuss
the matter and how it may be resolved. If the parties cannot agree on a resolution, the matter will be
referred to mediation.
It is the function and responsibility of the council’s Manager, Planning and Environmental Services to
facilitate the appointment of a mediator, venue and time agreeable to both parties.