The answer to the honourable senator's question is as follows:

(1) The Australian Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) pilot has been under way since October 2011. A multi-stakeholder group comprising government, industry and non-government organisation representatives has been established to provide guidance on how the pilot will proceed in testing EITI in the Australian context. An Administrator for the pilot has also been appointed.

(2) No

(3) Yes

(4) One company indicated that it would welcome the submission of an amicus curiae brief by the Government.

(5) No