Scott Ludlam (WA, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

asked the Minister representing the Minister for Foreign Affairs, upon notice, on 29 June 2011:

With reference to finance provided by the Export Finance and Insurance Corporation (EFIC) to the Papua New Guinea Liquefied Natural Gas (PNG LNG) project and to two reports commissioned by EFIC relating to investor risk and security needs assessment, the answer to part D of question no. 23 taken on notice during the 2010-11 additional estimates hearings of the Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Legislation Committee suggests that EFIC may not have seen the security assessment:

(1) Was Control Risk Asia Pacific commissioned by EFIC to undertake a security and investor assessment of the PNG LNG project.

(2) Did Control Risk Asia Pacific accompany EFIC representatives to PNG to meet with project joint venture companies.

(3) Did EFIC provide Cabinet with the full Control Risk Asia Pacific assessments; if not, why not considering the vast proportion of finance came from the National Interest Account not the EFIC Commercial Account.

(4) Did EFIC provide the department with the Control Risk Asia Pacific PNG LNG assessments; if so, did the department provide any comments and to whom.

(5) Did EFIC provide AusAID with the Control Risk Asia Pacific PNG LNG assessments; if so, did AusAID provide any comments and to whom.

(6) Given that three out of the six Export Credit Agency financiers of the PNG LNG project (Australia, Japan and China) provide overseas development aid (ODA) to the PNG Government, to what degree will the nature and priorities of Australia's ODA to PNG change during the construction and production stages of PNG LNG.

(7) Are there any provisions in the project finance contract or associated contracts between the project joint venturers and EFIC/Australian Government relating to landowner benefit sharing; if so, can a general description be provided, while respecting commercial in confidence aspects of the contract.

(8) As a project financier is EFIC or the Australia Government concerned about the current level of conflict and landowner dissatisfaction arising from the distribution of business grants and contracts in the project areas.

(9) Has EFIC or the Australian Government communicated anything to the project joint venture companies or the PNG Government about this issue.

(10) Did the Australian Government directly or indirectly have representation at the Kokopo Umbrella Benefits Sharing Agreement development forum held in April and May 2009.

(11) Can a list be provided of all the meetings attended by the Australian High Commissioner in PNG in relation to the PNG LNG project.

(12) What does the Minister believe is the biggest security and investment risk to the PNG LNG project going ahead.

(13) What control does the Australian Government have over this risk.