Yes, you are correct. Technically, Barnett approved the 4 projects just weeks before losing the election to McGowan.
The point I was making is that Mark McGowan, a labour heavyweight, affirmed those approvals, and owned them. He did not reject or cancel them. He kept the approvals in place, despite instituting a uranium mining ban. And he let the entire state know his decision. There was no "embarrassment" involved. It was straight-up, a matter of LAW. He had to follow the law. Mark McGowan and the Labour party accepted that they now owned the 4 approvals.
Now, if Richard was being honest & correct in his announcement, then a) the Approval is still valid, and b) he is perfectly entitled to request the 'Extension' at any time.
2 yrs have passed, and he has not done this. And he has never once referred back to this option. Also, he has never explained why? Why he won't apply, and what exactly is going on with the approval process.
Does that make sense?
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