Hon Robin Scott questions the Minister for Mines and Petroleum regarding breaches of exploration licence E80/4934, potential project jeopardy due to departmental delays, and the need for tighter timeframes for handling such issues. The Minister's response indicates ongoing investigation and defends the current process.

AnsweredQoN 1472Legislative Council
Asked
28 November 2019
Portfolio
Mines and Petroleum

QuestionView source ↗

MINES AND PETROLEUM —
EXPLORATION LICENCE E80/4934
1472. Hon ROBIN SCOTT to the minister representing the
Minister for Mines and Petroleum:
I refer to exploration licence
E80/4934 and breaches of the terms and conditions relating to that lease.
(1) When will the department reach a
final outcome on the breaches?
(2) Is the
minister aware that delays by the department have put the project in jeopardy
and may result in the loss of a rare opportunity for the people of Wyndham and
surrounding towns?
(3) Will the
minister consider introducing a tighter time frame for the department to
finalise the handling of such issues?

AnswerView source ↗

I thank the member for the question.
The following information has been provided to me by the Minister for Mines and
Petroleum.
(1) The
Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety is investigating the matter
and will determine whether it gets referred to the Minister for Mines and
Petroleum for a decision in due course.
(2) No. As the project occurs on an
exploration licence, mining operations cannot yet be undertaken.
(3) No. It is
important for tenement holders to comply with the terms and conditions of their
licence or lease. The department undertakes investigations in accordance with
an established and documented process developed to ensure procedural fairness.

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