Oil and Gas Sector

Mr VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN (Stuart) (15:28): Given what the minister has just said, why is it necessary for these internal assessments to be marked 'strictly confidential' from some staff but not others within the department?

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS (West Torrens—Treasurer, Minister for Finance, Minister for State Development, Minister for Mineral Resources and Energy, Minister for Small Business) (15:28): Again, the shadow minister is quoting selectively from FOIs. These are all the FOIs that we have regarding this process. I think I'll table them so every member of parliament in the chamber can see them all—

Members interjecting:

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: —so they can all understand exactly how the shadow minister is selectively quoting from FOIs. I find it amazing that the Liberal Party are accusing us of being too helpful to resources companies: 'You're being too nice to them.'

Members interjecting:

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: 'But you're helping them too much. You're getting too involved in their applications. We shouldn't be assigning case officers.' Of course we should. Of course we should be involved. It is clear from the questioning today they don't like the private sector.

Mr VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN: Point of order: I ask you to bring the minister back to the substance of the question, which is, if it's all okay, why is it so strictly—

The SPEAKER: I uphold the point of order. There is no need for an impromptu speech, and I warn the leader the first time and I warn the deputy leader for the second and final time—that's it. Member for Stuart.

Mr VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN: Sir, has the minister finished his answer to that question?

The SPEAKER: Is there more? But wait, there's more.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: I don't have that level of tolerance, sir, but I will play along, without offending the Chair in any way.

The SPEAKER: That would be good.

Mr VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN: Point of order, sir: he doesn't get a fresh four minutes.

The SPEAKER: No; the clock was stopped. We still have three more minutes of the Treasurer's richness.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: Whenever we assign case managers for the application of regulation through permitting they are confidential, but the reality of it is that the department, who are the regulators of this, often have multiple people working on files, they have multiple people working on applications for mining licences, environmental approvals, assessments, and often there are people who have access to these files who aren't the case manager. It's entirely appropriate for the department to be working closely with a mining company. We stand by that and we won't change that, but I think the opposition has signalled a very, very different change to the way they will be regulating—

The SPEAKER: No; I think we'll just do without the opposition.