Chris Evans (WA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

The Minister for Resources and Energy has provided the following answer to the Honourable senator's questions:

(1) The Browse Joint Venture holds seven offshore petroleum retention leases, five of which are located in Commonwealth waters offshore of Western Australia and two of which are located in Western Australian state waters.

The Western Australian Government has responsibility for decisions in relation to the two offshore petroleum retention leases that are located within Western Australian state waters.

In respect of the five offshore petroleum retention leases in Commonwealth waters, the Commonwealth-Western Australia Offshore Petroleum Joint Authority, comprising the Western Australian Minister for Mines and Petroleum, the Hon Norman Moore MLC, and the Commonwealth Minister for Resources and Energy, the Hon Martin Ferguson AM MP, is the decision-maker in relation to the management (grant, renewal, suspension, variation or cancellation) of offshore petroleum titles. Decisions in relation to these titles are made jointly between the two Ministers. Where disagreement occurs between the members of the Joint Authority, the Commonwealth Minister may decide the matter and the Commonwealth Minister's decision has effect as the decision of the Joint Authority.

The Joint Authority may consider cancelling an offshore petroleum title under the Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage Act 2006 (the Act) where the titleholder has not complied with:

The Joint Authority must take into account any action taken by the titleholder to remove the ground(s) of cancellation or to prevent the recurrence of similar grounds. The titleholder must be consulted in the course of the Joint Authority's decision-making process.

(2) See response to Question 1 above.

(3) No.