Ms O’CONNOR question to MINISTER for PARKS and ENVIRONMENT, Mr DUIGAN
I would like to have a bit of a chat about Halls Island again.
You extended the Halls Island lease to an insolvent company that will remain insolvent until such time as Daniel Hackett pays his bills, which he has not to date, and then applies to the court for his company to be made solvent, which has not happened. It is quite extraordinary really. I am looking for some timing details here. Did the proponent advise you or your department that he had transferred ownership of the EPBC assessment of his heli‑tourism proposal just a day before Wild Drake went into liquidation into his own name or did you find that out after 13 September? What we want to establish here is, did you know there had been this transfer when you signed the lease with the director of an insolvent company?
ANSWER
Mr President, a change of name on an EPBC referral is a matter for the proponent and the Australian Government. I am advised that the proponents sought advice from the Australian Government in relation to the name change and, therefore, any concerns about this process should be discussed with the Australian Government.
Ms O’Connor – No, that was not the question. The question was, when were you told that he transferred the EPBC assessment?
Mr DUIGAN – Well, again, his EPBC assessment is a matter between the proponent and the Australian Government.
