Legislative Council Fifty-First Parliament, Second Session (51-2) 51 2 Parliament of South Australia Legislative Council published Question Time Question Time Marathon Resources MARATHON RESOURCES The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY Legislative Council Leader of the Opposition MARATHON RESOURCES The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY (Leader of the Opposition) (15:47): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for Mineral Resources Development a question about Marathon Resources and the Arkaroola area. Leave granted. The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY Legislative Council The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY: As we heard today, both via press release and ministerial statement, the government has suspended drilling operations by Marathon at Arkaroola. The news release by the Premier, as read by the minister reads: The Premier Mike Rann has announced that the government is suspending indefinitely the drilling operations by Marathon Resources at Mount Gee at Arkaroola in the wake of a significant breach of exploration conditions of that licence. It is my understanding that PIRSA has at least six officers authorised by the EPA to carry out inspections and compliance work in relation to environmental breaches by operators within the mining industry. However, in the case of the Marathon Resources breach, the opposition has been informed that the Leigh Creek police made the initial contact investigation, despite South Australian police officers not being adequately trained to do so. Why were the police requested to undertake the initial investigation, and who made that request? The Hon. P. HOLLOWAY Legislative Council Minister for Police Minister for Mineral Resources Development Minister for Urban Development and Planning The Hon. P. HOLLOWAY (Minister for Police, Minister for Mineral Resources Development, Minister for Urban Development and Planning) (15:47): It was my understanding that police officers are authorised officers under the Environmental Protection Act. I believe a complaint was made, perhaps by a disgruntled former employee or some person who was aware of this. Their having made a complaint, I believe the owners of the Arkaroola operation made initial inquiries and then contacted the police, who are authorised officers under the EP Act. They made some initial discoveries and alerted PIRSA and the EPA, who then came and undertook the investigation about which I have just commented at length in my ministerial statement.