MINING TENEMENTS —
KARIJINI NATIONAL PARK
1132. Hon ROBIN CHAPPLE to the minister representing the
Minister for Mines and Petroleum:
I
refer to exploration licence 47/17 and exploration licence 47/15 held by Itochu
Minerals and Energy of Australia Pty Ltd, Mitsui Iron Ore Corporation
Pty Ltd and BHP Billiton Minerals Pty Ltd within the Karijini National Park,
crown reserve 30082.
(1) Is it correct
that those two tenements previously received a five-year extension and they are
now due to expire on 3 October 2019?
(2) Given that those tenements were taken out on 4
October 1982 and are contained within the Karijini National Park, will
the minister now cancel the tenements and not allow for a further extension
application?
(3) If no to (2), why not?
(4) If yes to
(2), will the minister ensure that no other applicant can seek to obtain a licence
to explore in those areas?
Hon
ALANNAH MacTIERNAN replied:
I thank the member for the
question. The following information has been provided to me by the Minister for
Mines and Petroleum.
(1) No. Those two
tenements were granted with a five-year term on 4 October 1982. They have
received a further one-year extension every year since 1987 and both are now
due for expiry on 3 October 2019.
(2) No.
(3) The holder
has a legislative right to apply for extensions of term and those applications,
if they are lodged, will be assessed in accordance with the Mining Act 1978 and
determined by due process.
(4) Not applicable.