Matthew Canavan (Queensland, Liberal National Party) Share this | Hansard source

Senator Siewert, I am advised that this issue first came to the attention of departmental officials in a meeting on 16 December 2015. That was a meeting with the Department of the Environment to discuss petroleum titles and Commonwealth marine reserves. Obviously, on becoming aware of this issue, the department sought legal advice on the status of renewed or extended petroleum titles. The department informally briefed the minister's office in the lead-up to Christmas and a formal brief was sent to the minister's office on 19 January 2016 once the final legal advice and the necessary work had been undertaken to identify the scope of the issue.