Oil and Gas Sector

Mr VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN (Stuart) (15:31): Supplementary, sir: can the minister explain, given what he has already explained, why this process goes so far as providing draft letters of acceptance before any letter of application or request is submitted?

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS (West Torrens—Treasurer, Minister for Finance, Minister for State Development, Minister for Mineral Resources and Energy, Minister for Small Business) (15:31): Because, Mr Speaker, when companies make applications the most frustrating thing about it—

Mr Marshall interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The leader is warned for the second and final time.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: The most frustrating aspect of a bureaucracy, Mr Speaker, is to make sure that companies know in what format they should be applying for things. What the opposition is saying is they want a reversal of our red tape reduction programs. What they are saying is, how dare we be so helpful to a company as to let them know how to put in an application form, or what they should put in their application form, what they should put in their letter of acceptance, or what they should do in their renewals, or what they should do in their variances. It is because we work closely with them. Again, if the opposition has any evidence, any real evidence, table it right now under privilege.