Oil and Gas Sector

Mr VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN (Stuart) (14:30): My question is to the Minister for Mineral Resources and Energy. Can the minister explain why Ambassador Exploration was originally granted petroleum exploration licence 570, when an internal departmental assessment, done just two weeks prior to the granting of the licence and received by the opposition under FOI, states:

Ambassador Exploration has provided no financial statements or evidence of any current financial resources with which it could meet its obligations if granted an exploration licence…On the basis of the applicant's stated financial position, there is no evidence that they have the proven capacity to undertake the obligations arising under the grant of a PEL.