On the 07/06/2023 there was a document created for the Resources minister to "indicate" who the decision maker would be:
"Indicate your preferred Commonwealth decision maker who will, with the NSW
decision maker, make Joint Authority decisions for the Petroleum Exploration Permit
11 (PEP-11) applications:
a. Option A: the Commonwealth Minister for Resources;
b. Option B: another Commonwealth Minister in the Industry, Science and
Resources Portfolio; or
c. Option C: an SES employee in the department, as your delegate."
source:
https://www.industry.gov.au/sites/default/files/2023-12/disclosure-log-23-035-73690.pdfThere is evidence of requests for legal advice as far back as 07/06/2023:
"Other Consultation: YES
5. Legal Branch"
source:
https://www.industry.gov.au/sites/default/files/2023-12/disclosure-log-23-035-73690.pdfEither Ms. Madeleine King MP did nominate herself, then the legal advice explained her risk, then she recused, or she indicated Ed Husic MP to be the decision maker as far back as 07/06/2023. I find it highly inappropriate for the department for resources to not provide the NOPTA report to the Joint Authority as the procedures dictate: https://www.nopta.gov.au/_documents/JA-operating-protocols-july2015.pdf [keep in mind the NOPTA report says the Joint Authority's decision is due within 10-15days, therefore for the beaurocrats to hold onto the report longer than stipulated is unheard of]. Another possibility is that Ms Madeleine King MP told them not to give it to her until she received her legal advice and conjured a plan.
The Joint Authority procedure is for NOPTA to give their report to the Joint Authority. What you are alluding to is the department of resources obstructing in that procedure? In other words, once DISR receives it, they have no basis to just sit on it from Oct2023 to April2024 [especially if NOPTA states that the decision should be made in 10-15days (I would fully expect the NOPTA report to be analysed and given to the joint authority with instruments for decision within 10-15days] (procedure:
https://www.nopta.gov.au/_documents/JA-operating-protocols-july2015.pdf). Moreover, the same or similar request was provided for the FOI's, comparable to that of the FOI to Keith Pitt which yielded the old FOI of the January 2020 PEP-11 NOPTA report (albeit highly redacted).
(20min delay)