Ms O’CONNOR question to MINISTER for PARKS and ENVIRONMENT, Mr DUIGAN
So, you are confirming, then, that your advice from Crown Law was that this action that you would take to sign a lease with a company that was under liquidation – insolvent – was lawful. Very unusual set of circumstances and there is a question mark of whether or not that company is trading while insolvent. Minister, under the exclusive lease conditions, bushwalkers who want to access Halls Island need to apply to the leaseholder.
There are insurance and legal ramifications if they do not get proper approvals to access public land inside the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area because your government has privatised Halls Island, but it will not work. The director of Wild Drake, to my understanding, has no power to approve or sanction visits while their company is under liquidation. Can you advise bushwalkers who they need to apply to visit Halls Island? Is it the liquidator? Is it Daniel Hackett? Is it an insolvent company, Wild Drake, or is it you?
ANSWER
Mr President, we will just seek some advice.
Ms O’Connor – And while you are there, could you ask the previous question about the environmental organisation? Who is that?
Mr DUIGAN – Mr President, I am advised that there is an access program for people who wish to visit the island. That is on the proponent’s website. That is on the Wild Drake website and you would make an application through that process. If there was a business decision –
Ms O’Connor – Seek permission from an insolvent company?
Mr DUIGAN – Well, no determination has been made.
Ms O’Connor – Can you answer the question about –
Mr PRESIDENT – Order. The minister has finished the question and I have not given the call for the next question. If you want to ask another question, I did have other members standing before you, including the member for Nelson.
Ms O’Connor – I am fine to wait, but you need to answer the question about what the environmental organisation was.
