Delahunty Catherine: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to MinistersText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeDelahunty Catherine: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers[Sitting date: 11 April 2013. Volume:689;Page:9286. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]2.CATHERINE DELAHUNTY (Green) to theMinister of Energy and Resources: Will the changes to the Crown Minerals Act 1991 proposed in the Crown Minerals (Permitting and Crown Land) Bill allow for exploratory drilling in Schedule 4 areas?Hon SIMON BRIDGES (Minister of Energy and Resources): Yes but the changes do not go further than what is already contained in the existing law. Also there is a significant difference between work under prospecting and exploration activity and permits and mining activities and permits. The Government is clear that schedule 4 is a no go for mining.Catherine Delahunty: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. I am unclear. My question was in regards to drilling in schedule 4 areas. I am unclear whether the Minister has confirmed there will be drilling which was the question on notice.Mr SPEAKER: The Minister started his answer with “Yes” and then clarified.Catherine Delahunty: Why has the Government granted mineral exploration permit 52722 which has no practical value because it allows for drilling in schedule 4 areas which is currently illegal?Hon SIMON BRIDGES: I do not know the position in relation to that specific permit but what is very clear is that there is a range of reasons short of mining why you would have prospecting and exploration permits including understanding the general geological layout of the land and understanding what is happening in a river upstream to understand what is happening downstream. So there is a range of reasons short of mining.Catherine Delahunty: I seek leave to table a legal opinion from Adderley Head to my office which shows that permit 52722 cannot currently be exercised because it allows for drilling in schedule 4 areas which is currently illegal.Mr SPEAKER: Leave is sought to table that legal opinion. Is there any objection? There is not. It can be tabled.Document by leave laid on the Table of the House.Catherine Delahunty: Given that our legal opinion says that permit 52722 has a work programme that is illegal to implement will he withdraw the permit or amend its work programme to prevent drilling in schedule 4?Hon SIMON BRIDGES: Well if the member did me the courtesy of showing me that opinion we might be able to have a bit more of an informed discussion. But I think what is very clear is that prospecting and exploration permits do allow for drilling but that is quite different from drilling for mining purposes which we have a policy against.Catherine Delahunty: So is the Government changing the Crown Minerals Act so that Hawkeswood Civil Ltd which is the owner of this permit can now undertake drilling in an area under schedule 4 protection?Hon SIMON BRIDGES: No. If the member had listened to my first answer what is very clear is that in relation to the things she is asking about there is no material change between the current law and the new law.Catherine Delahunty: Has the Minister made it clear to companies that they can look but not touch in schedule 4; if so why has the director of Sea Group Holdings Ltd said it is prospecting with an eye to dredging in McGregor Bay which is under schedule 4 protection?Hon SIMON BRIDGES: Well companies can say whatever they like but it is the Government that makes policy and makes the decisions.Catherine Delahunty: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. My question was whether he has made it clear to these companies.Mr SPEAKER: I think the question was very adequately addressed in light of the question. The member has further supplementary questions.Catherine Delahunty: Does the Minister still think that the Government has made it clear to mining companies that they can look but not touch in schedule 4 given that the Broken Hills Gold Company has applied for a mining permit on schedule 4 land?Hon SIMON BRIDGES: I do not think there is any ambiguity in our policy. Let me say again that we have a very clear view against mining on schedule 4 land.Catherine Delahunty: In the light of what he has just said will he then decline the application by Broken Hills Gold Company Ltd for a mining permit on schedule 4 land in the Coromandel?Hon SIMON BRIDGES: Look it is not appropriate for me to give an answer on an open application. The policy is very clear: we say no to mining on schedule 4 land.Catherine Delahunty: Will he rule out granting mining permits for all the areas listed in schedule 4 of the Crown Minerals Act for which minerals prospecting and exploration permits have already been granted such as the areas covered by the permits held by Sea Group Holdings Ltd and Hawkeswood Civil Ltd? Will he rule them out?Hon SIMON BRIDGES: Well as I have said now a number of times there is quite a difference between prospecting and exploration permits where the law does permit that and there is a range of reasons for doing that short of mining. But we say no to mining on schedule 4 land.