the greens, exergen and mnm

more clues...

http://vicmps.greens.org.au/content/baillieu-brown-coal-india

'Baillieu, Brown Coal & India

21/02/2012

Premier Ted Baillieu has just jumped on a plane to India to strengthen our trading ties. One thing that India wants, and we've got lots of is cheap, dirty and inefficient brown coal.

The Greens recently asked the Minister for Energy, Michael O'Brien in writing whether he had done anything to facilitate the export of brown coal, whether the government had identified essential infrastructure for the exporting of brown coal, and what it was.

We also asked him whether he or senior departmental officials had met with any companies interested in purchasing our brown coal (Adani, Tata Power, Reliance Power, Exergen, Itochu or Leighton Holdings).

His response?...

"Government Ministers continue to adhere to the Victorian Government Professional Lobbyist Code of Conduct" - Pardon?

We checked both sides of the paper to see if anything else had been written, or if something had fallen off the page. That was genuinely their answer.

If it looks like avoidance, sounds like concealment and feels like a cover-up, chances are they have got something to hide - otherwise they would tell Victorians straight, right?

When the Premier returns from his trip, we'll submit a freedom of information request to see if his itinerary included any meetings to find brown coal export markets.

Hopefully, his office will be able to take some time out from their relentless quest to "stop the spin" and actually answer the question. '

An FOI request! Brilliant. I may do the same. Some of us in MNM land are just as interested in the answers, but for completely different reasons.

It is worth noting that of the companies the greens identify as key players in the future of Victorian brown coal export and infrastructure (Adani, Tata Power, Reliance Power, Exergen, Itochu or Leighton Holdings) 4 out of 6 are owners of MNM's pre JVA partner exergen.

The green questions were not plucked from thin air. They know full well that these meetings have taken place with these players, and what they were about.

They also know that the key reason Baillieu went to India in February was to talk to the biggest player of all, Tata.

Then Ted comes back and the March bombshell about unlocking the S7, and facilitating brown coal export gets announced.

All just a co-incidence? Probably not.

This one also is worth a read as a summary of who the key players are in the brown coal upgrade/export universe:

http://www.coolibahconsulting.com.au/TiP/2012/03/24/vale-of-fears/