NATIONAL PARLIAMENT SITTING | 02 PM | TUESDAY 26th MAY, 2026

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[00:00:01]power and glory forever and ever. Amen.

[00:00:28]Clock. Any petitions?

[00:00:30]notices.

[00:00:33]Honorable members, question time.

[00:00:37]The honorable deputy opposition leader.

[00:00:40]>> Thank you um deputy speaker for recognizing the people of Uricquari.

[00:00:47]Deputy Speaker, my question today is directed to the honorable prime minister and is in relation to the Cro and Equity Option special purpose vehicle which was a subject of a decision on the 8th of April 2026.

[00:01:03]In that decision, Mr. Speaker, the special purpose vehicle is intended to hold and manage the 4.27% 27% direct equity interest in the PNG project on behalf of the land owners and impacted provincial governments as originally contemplated under under the 2008 Koko UBSA and the 2009 LBBS.

[00:01:26]That decision, Mr. Deputy Speaker, directs that the 4.27% 27% equity be transferred to a special purpose vehicle from Kumal Petroleum Holdings Limited and also approved the allocation of 30 million kina in reimburseable seed uh capital to to the SPV and the board of that SPV is created and con constitutes as follows. There's a heights PDL land owners and hella project areas to be rotated every two years. The Southern Highlands PDL 2 and pipeline project area to be rotated every two years.

[00:02:08]An independent director with investment financial institution background.

[00:02:12]An independent director representing pipeline project area in Gulf, Western and Central Province to be rotated every two years.

[00:02:21]The governor for Hela exofficial director permanent. the governor for southern highlands ex official director representing southern highlands province and the governor for G province ex official rotational every two years critically Mr. Speaker, the this board structure contains no dedicated seat for the plant site land owners of Uricquar in central province and the very communities upon whose land the entire PNG facility sits where the capex and the market marketability and commercial viability of gas is crystallized where storage tanks are kept and marine export terminal is doiciled.

[00:03:08]The governor of central province holds no exofficial seat and neither do the plant site land owners named fold given that the NC decision establishes the interim board of the croin equity option special purpose vehicle without a dedicated directorship or ex official seat for the central province governor or the plans onsite land owners of Hiroquari on whose host who hosts the PJNG facility.

[00:03:46]Could the prime minister tell the people of Papanigi and the people the plant site land owners and the central province people on what legal basis were the plant site land owners and central province government excluded from dedicated representation on the croton equity option SPV board. given their status as the host community for the project primary infrastructure under the re relevant agreements.

[00:04:14]And if the prime minister could also enlighten, if the government will review or amend the decision and the governing structure as it stands to accommodate a seat, a permanent seat or exficial seat for the central province people and also the plant site land owners.

[00:04:37]Alternatively, Mr. Deputy Speaker, is the Prime Minister and his NEC able to review their decision so that a dedicated croten equity special purpose vehicle is created for the plant site license holders. So the land owners for the plant site area is partitioned from Hela interest and southern highlands interest and the Gulf interest and if so what steps can they take to accommodate this interest so that there is no disadvantage on on the part of the plant site land owners and the central provincial government. Mr. Speaker, as it stands and on face value, this decision of the NEC 64/2026 dated 8th April 2026 is divisive and oppressive and of course biased only in favor of certain uh interest areas or certain people in this country. Yeah, >> this is completely against the dictates of the constitution and the national goals and directive principles for equitable distribution of natural national resources.

[00:05:54]Thank you deputy speaker.

[00:05:56]>> The honorable prime minister.

[00:06:00]>> All right. Thank you uh deputy speaker.

[00:06:03]long give him opportunity long member query uh for him to ask a question uh important question to seek clarity on some uh any citizen or any cition that was taken. I want to firstly uh indicate to this house Mr. Deputy Speaker that uh it is the decision taken is not divisive uh to the country or to the PNG LNG uh land owner uh land owners and the uh provincial governments who who are important stakeholders in the PNG LNG project.

[00:06:42]>> It is not offensive to them also. It is uh is in direct fulfillment of a kind gesture by NA government policy in 2008 2009 when the Kokopo uh UB umbrella benefit sharing agreement was signed at Kokopo in 2009. Mr. Deputy Speaker, you and me were in in that parliament. Uh I was uh I was given the extraordinary privilege of my life. Uh in that vote on the night when NA government policy was announced, myself and Governor Auru, late Governor Aguru, God bless his soul were invited by uh then Prime Minister Grand Slam into his both of Kokapo.

[00:07:37]uh minister where it said place not cocoa beach bangalow >> beach bangal >> of koka beach bangalow into his boat when the 4.27 27 equity pass was gifted not just to Hela provincial land owners or saras provincial land owners but to the entire 60,000 uh people who would be associated with PNG LNG project as land owners from upstream PDL 9 PL8 PDL 7 PDL1 PDL 2, PDL 5 and six and PDL 3.

[00:08:23]And then the pipeline, the 800 km of pipeline that runs from the ridges of Mount Gigira all the way through the plains of Gulf into the floor of the southern oceans of our country from Gulf to central and of course our wonderful people at Papa Lelaya Porada and Borea villages.

[00:08:50]Mr. Deputy Speaker, I want to give full assurance. I hold memory to that gift and it's a gift for these people, not just for Ella Province.

[00:09:00]And if there was a cabinet decent that hasn't been officially released to the public as yet, but if there was a cabinet decide land on us, then that is a mistake or that is a fallacy.

[00:09:20]Plant side land owners are important.

[00:09:25]They are my people as much as they member for Hi Kuar's people. They are included in this restructuring that is taking place.

[00:09:34]The five provincial governments all in all are included in this structure.

[00:09:40]I give you all a context that 4.27% 27% was given at the backdrop of land owners especially land owners from heights and land owners from Kuribu and Moran and of course along the pipeline areas where proper landowner identification was not made as yet inconsistent with oil and gas act requirements without proper landowner identification Mr. Deputy Speaker, portion 152, the PNG LNG area land was already an alienated land to the state.

[00:10:22]>> Prime Minister, we have point of order.

[00:10:24]What's your point of order?

[00:10:26]>> Whether the land is alienated or not is irrelevant. Point of order is that the composition excludes the seat for central governor and plant site land owners. And the question is whether there will be a review to include them or alternatively can will they partition partition the SPV into licensebased areas. So plant site will have its own croton equity held away from everybody else.

[00:10:56]>> Uh honorable >> honorable deputy opportunity leader your point of order is you know that I understand that the prime minister is still in the process of answering your question. So I'll allow the prime minister to answer to your question.

[00:11:10]>> Mr. Speaker, sometimes it pays to listen and not jumping the gun and asking questions. You may be shocked even with the answer in itself.

[00:11:20]Mr. Speaker, this jester came at the backdrop of land owners from areas that were not yet identified.

[00:11:30]Pson 152 is identified area. We know exactly the villages that populated that land or gave this land to the state many many years and they already embraced but the other areas that were not yet identified just to car 60,000 land owners including uh the honorable leaders people our people here just to car them into putting their signatures into paper was itself a mama task all you have to ask is ask and I'm privileged to have minister Duma sitting on the front bench was the minister of petrol inim then full acknowledgement to him my late grandip sir Michael Somare a somare suku on the other side my uh my uh good brother member for yu pangia and others who were there we we had to muscle in and carol the lenon leaders society 60,000 of them 4.27% 27% was a gesture to them saying we know we haven't fully identified you but there's a passel cuz a request was uh some something must must be given now 4.27% 27% was allocated to them. Kumul held 16.57% total stake in PNG LNG. Of that 16.57% the dalison were to take place. I want to inform this house that of that since first guest in 2014, Kum has been a beneficiary of over 12 billion kina including benefiting from 4.27% 27% parcel in that life or in the life of the last 11 years of uh earning from PNG LNG state or PNG has been beneficiary to over 17 billion ka in direct tax as corporate income tax from PNG the 4.27% 27% is a parcel that is earmarked as project security for PNG land owners whether at the plan side or at the upstream PDL sites are embraced in this 4.27%.

[00:13:47]The cabinet paper that came in embraced plan side as much as all PDLs and pipeline because Southern Islands and Hela put together a custodian of almost 98% and in fact today as we speak 100% of all the gas that is currently supplying into PNG with the main infrastructure up there in heights and associate backbone infrastructure hides PDL8 and PDL1 I beg a pardon PDL7 and PDL1 and PDL8's guest has gone into PNGC today from Angor and it runs through a major spine of the project is a PDL2 in Kubu we felt advisable and within the spirit of the UBSA agreement that PDL 2 governor PDL 7 8 9 Governor and half of nine in fact majority is in in western province. So we clustered at two main PDLs main uh provinces they have a permanent representative in this structure but there's a rotation between uh Gulf western and central in every two years a rotation that sits in this trusty vehicle that we want to set up.

[00:15:10]This 4.27% 27% is not entitlement of law but a government policy NA government policy that has gifted the five provinces and the 60,000 land owners for their support to PNG when it was in concept states right through construction and first guess up till 11 years on that the project has been in production. So it will be detached from kumu petroleum be set up in a structure that is represented by allers from uh in the structure that we propose if there are ways to improve this I'm I'm very certain uh I'll consider recommendations from the member concern it represents important people from the plan site it's not meant to be exclusive it's not meant for only one block or one people it is a structure that embrace totality the 60,000 land owners from upstream land site that represents the entire five provincial governments and there will be rotational bases with the permanent presence of South Na as the substantial the holders of the guests in which it is harvested from they sit inside because they have a duty as a duty of security that even member for Kuhiri will not member for Hiquaryi will not do it's not easy task containing Lenon in PDL 1 PL 8 PL We are pointing the prime minister the importance of the plant site cannot be belittled against the resource. We acknowledge the resource comes from Hela and South Island but without the export terminal and without the processing facility that gas is of no commercial value.

[00:16:54]Please I caution the prime minister to be a bit more inclusive and equitable in our in our delivery and also in the distribution of natural resources.

[00:17:02]That's my point and if best way is to separate the plant site land owners from the rest of you can have your politics separated and partitioned away from the plant site land owners. Thank you >> honorable deputy opportunity order. I will not allow you to debate on the question that you have raised. So I'll allow the prime minister to sum up your uh answers to the question.

[00:17:32]>> Mr. Deputy Speaker, I take note of his concerns. As I said, the structure will be inclusive to all. they all will be fairly represented. There's a place for the plant site and and pipelines on the board in this company. There's a place for the leaders especially governors on the board in this in this uh special purpose vehicle. It is we intend to follow the spirit of uh St. Michael's jester. It is it will not be a cash cow structure that gets fund and funneled to the provinces. They're currently benefiting from the royalties and equities. This should have an element of sovereign well fund attached to majority of these funds should be set for perpetual regeneration for these five provinces and the 60,000 learners including uh our people at at plan site they're very much important in this as much as they upside don't dispute this uh they're my people as much as these people uh the two governors in south na needs to be committed and g they substantially because it's uh very uh many people uh people with so many interests the two governors burn midnight oil every time to keep the people in check uh it's never easy place up there to make sure people are in check I also commend the land owners uh from the plan side all the way to the upstream PDL 9 PL one PL 8 I thank them for their patience it has been long time coming uh the country has benefited over 12 million thinking already including them whatever the country thinks we plow back through the budget to through our people so uh we thank them for their patience but it's better late than never uh structure that is we set aside we will consult leaders on all side including the the lenon leaderships so that they they're happy with the structure we intend to set up uh cabinet cabinet dec uh the kum petroleum uh books set it We'll invite all leaders concerned. Look at the structure we want to set up. It is meant to be perpetual and I want to say the the distribution is clearly spell out in the UBS already. Uh the plan side uh I think has 12% benefit in this structure. So it will not be a new reinvent renegotiating who gets what.

[00:19:54]The entire benefit structure is already set up in the UBS agreement. Plan side has the ratio already carved out.

[00:20:01]pipelines have the ratio already carved out. Uh the PDFs have the ratio already carved out based on what is already carved out in 200 9. UBSA and the respective uh LBBS uh that structure will be set up to look at perpetual wealth generation to distribute to the to the beneficiaries concern. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

[00:20:27]>> We have a supplement. The member for Yali Bupanga.

[00:20:30]>> Uh thank you uh uh Mr. Deputy Speaker and my supplementary to the prime minister is that uh uh my understanding of the UBSA agreement and firstly let me thank the government for making this uh decision to to transfer the 4.27% 27% to this special purpose vehicle uh in order for the uh land owners and provincial governments to have visibility of their shareholding on this PNG LNG project. I think that's timely and credit must be given to and acknowledgement must be given to both uh Sumar Prime Minister Michael Sumari and of course others who have played a leading role in ensuring this. Now the special uh purpose vehicle under the UBSA agreement as I recall uh also been participant in Cookapo and other various meetings about this PNG LNG project uh was that it was for the benefit of the land owners and provincial governments uh not for the benefit or interference of the national government. I recall uh my late governor Anderson Agaru's uh words very clearly uh that he wanted political no political interference in the setting up of this vehicle and this particular company going forward. Uh so Mr. Speaker, whilst I uh commend the government for uh creating this special purpose vehicle, I think after almost close to 17 years of uh this project being in existence, uh I think the land owners are quite well organized. Uh the provincial governments are quite well organized.

[00:22:15]uh I don't see why the prime minister should uh create a special vehicle where the government is in control of this vehicle uh where he himself is a trustee and his chief of staff is the acting CEO. Uh whilst I acknowledge the government's uh decision to uh create this uh vehicle for the benefit of the uh land owners, I think it's only fair that uh uh the prime minister and the government allow the land owners and the provincial governments establish and manage this special purpose vehicle.

[00:22:46]>> Uh Mr. Speaker, I think the prime minister should do that. So I asked him whether he can consider uh transferring the responsibility of managing this fund to directly to the land owners and the provincial governments.

[00:23:01]Uh second issue Mr. Speaker is of the prime minister to consider is that uh uh having no beneficial interest that's a state having no beneficial interest in this particular 4.27%.

[00:23:14]I think uh and given the government's record of managing and mismanaging many things uh I think it's only fair uh that uh the the special purpose vehicle is controlled by the land owners. Uh second Mr. Speaker is that now after 17 years uh we have now seen that uh PNG LNG is no longer having loan obligations. The loans are fully repaid. uh that simply means that uh more and more dividends and tax is coming to the state and the land owners and these land owners are also going to be beneficiaries of dividends uh going into the future. Now only prime minister himself has stated very clearly that so far they have received 12 billion kina in revenues.

[00:24:01]Now when we know that all the government services, health, education, law, whatever it is is struggling to survive out there, struggling to deliver these services out there. I think it is in public interest that we know where the money is going, where the money is spent or whether there are savings, if there are savings, how much money is in the bank. Can the prime minister uh please publish this whether the audit reports or the amounts uh that has been saved or spent I think it is in public interest that they should be aware and they know this. Uh it is because why prime minister and this honorable house is that exon mobile the people who are paying the dividends and paying the state taxes are publishing their amounts that they are paying to the government.

[00:24:49]We don't know where all this money is going. I think it's only fair that the prime minister publishes this. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Uh >> honorable member for Yellow Panga. We have a point of order. Honorable minister.

[00:25:01]>> Mr. Speaker, now it's Thank you honorable member for Yellow Pang. It seems to be a statement and a question straight. That's why point of order. But anyway, he has finished. Thank you.

[00:25:12]>> Honorable minister, this is a supplementary question. Yes, I the chair is about to ask the honorable member to uh bring your statement to a question so that we can proceed. So uh honorable member, >> you deputy speaker, you know, we're talking about billions of kina of public monies here.

[00:25:34]>> I mean if ministers and members uh don't appreciate that, I don't know why we are here.

[00:25:40]So I think it's only fair that uh the prime minister for public accountability uh does the right thing. That's all we are asking him to do.

[00:25:48]>> Uh the third and the last question is that prime minister you know uh our late governor Anderson Aguru's wisdom in his wisdom he's always been accommodating and uh the concerns raised by the plainside land owners and their leaders uh he needs to get back and uh uh allow that uh uh their request be accommodated as soon as possible. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

[00:26:10]>> The honorable prime minister.

[00:26:13]>> Uh, thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker. I am happy that the member for Yellow Panga has asked this question and I'm happy that he seems to be showing signs of amnesia or demensia.

[00:26:27]Uh, Mr. Speaker, uh, the first guest flowed in 2014.

[00:26:36]The UBSA is explicit.

[00:26:41]The five provincial governments and the entire land owners would have been given the right to exercise the option of purchase in 2014.

[00:26:53]The exercise of right was not conferred.

[00:26:56]Unfortunately, the 4.27% was pass off for the UBS transaction.

[00:27:04]Mr. Speaker, we are here now 11 years later and I'm happy he's asked for a full report on the 12 billion kina that has been passed on to Kumul Petroleum and it will be my absolute honor and privilege to table to this house since 2014 what has happened to this prime minister fund belonging to our country. We have a point of order >> member for Yalu Panga. What's your point of order?

[00:27:37]>> I know the prime minister is smiling and excited by himself about what he has just stated but uh I think prime prime minister seems to wants to play political games with this particular very important issue.

[00:27:51]I mean he was my finance minister he knows very well even after spending 30 million kina in a commission of inquiry on UBS he knows very well that that is not true we never ever mortgaged off the 4.2%.

[00:28:07]The only mortgage were the shares of oil chest oil sets that was about 10% that was the state owned it and oil sets that we have already mortgage to the Arabs for goodness sake just stick on to the issues that I attend and I'm giving you acknowledgement that you are doing the right thing and you know you want to agitate politics on the floor just just because you have nothing else to play with or say so just accept the act that as Aguru stated they did not he did not want any dirty political ends into the funds of the land owners that's what he meant and you and I know what he said so just do the right thing thank you Mr. Honorable member for Yalanga, your point of order is in order, but I would not like you to debate and pull this matter into a discussion of let me allow the prime minister to answer your question.

[00:29:06]>> Mr. Speaker, Speaker, the wrong thing he did, I'm trying to do it right right now.

[00:29:14]That's the reason why I left this cabinet.

[00:29:20]4.27% would have been distanced right from 2014. The five provinces and the land owners would have been given the right to excise purchase price was set deadline was agreed. No option were given to them to exercise a right from 2014 all the way to May 30th 2019 when this government took office and right up till today.

[00:29:47]Those obligations of Kumul Petroleum pinned down us distancing this and as responsible government people like me paid the high price even back at my local electorate we tell them wait till state has fully distanced obligation in the PNG LG project today I want to I want to inform people of uh query right up to PDL9 that we are distancing this 4.27 27% in a structured way PDL all the PDLs all the pipelines up to plan site you have held this fundamental monumental huge economic project that has transformed our country together and I say thank you to all our land owners including my land owners at plan site you've been wonderful this structure will invite the local members concern local governors together you'll contribute to the structure it is not meant to be a national government structure It must be a structure owned by this this these project beneficiaries and cabinet has indicated a way forward.

[00:30:55]If the five provinces the land owners felt there's a better structure we stand to be advised the only thing we don't change is ten commandment cabinet add distance can be changed so long as something that is good for our people we'll make sure we adapt to set up something that I want to contribute is it must not be a case grant that goes out for just consumption today they're consuming the royalty already they're consuming the equity already you ask the provinces You're getting money from equity. You're getting money from dulon levy. You're getting money from royalty.

[00:31:32]So I think that I want to thank governor poi and governor havata governor governor rufina uh you all good governors you will agree with the element of setting a structure away from national government away from even provincial governments away from lenonal leaderships a structure that could stand the test of time only 4.27% and 27% in PNG LNG is a premium asset of a project already derisked.

[00:31:58]So as government today just as much as Somali government had the foresight to gift this 4.27% to the five provinces and land on users as project security.

[00:32:09]We don't want to make it a asset that is wasted. It must stand up the test of time as a perpetual wealth generator for the five provinces together going forward. So I want to give assurance to to this house and to uh the member for quarry for asking a good question. It is a inclusive intention. If an oversight was made we will correct this and the member will sit in the discussions. The governors five governors will sit together. We want a structure that will perpetually harvest wealth and sustain wealth and generate wealth that is not just for today's generation but for the next generation that is coming. It is the intention of this paper will make clarity and it will stand the test of time beyond this time when to give that assurance to the house. Thank you member for ask on the report in kumu petroleum.

[00:33:02]The report in kumu petroleum will come in its fullest and it's in it's in the interest of every one of us to understand what has happened to this money that has gone to kum petroleum I give an assurance to this house the entire earnings from kumul petroleum from shipment one to the last shipment will present to this house and this house and the people of this country as a full benefit of the money that has come in that is meant for the benefit of our country so be giving full assurance uh 12 billion or 13 billion is still growing as we speak. Whatever money comes from Kum Petroleum, it is our people's money. We'll make sure this house and the country knows about how Kum Petroleum has spent them their funds from 2014 onwards. Thank you >> member foria.

[00:33:51]>> Uh thank you deputy speaker.

[00:33:54]My question without notice is uh directed to the minister for international trade and investment.

[00:34:03]uh Minister for Commerce and Industry and Minister for Labor and Migration to take note. I rise to uh to the to the attention of this honorable house that growing concern and frustration of our people of Western Britain province regarding what they see as a systematic uh displacement of Papa's business by large foreign conglomerate companies operating in the province for more than 40 years. Local western based contractors and have participated meaningfully in construction, civil works, oil perate replanting and escavation works associated with New Britain Primal Limited.

[00:34:44]These activity activities have provided employment income and a pathway for our people to build sustainable local enterprises.

[00:34:53]However, Mr. Speaker, recent developments indicate that a number of foreign conglomerate companies linked to or contracted under semi-habi, the operator of New Britain Palmer Limited, have now taken over many of these commercial opportunities.

[00:35:13]They are dominating construction and civil works.

[00:35:16]oil pump replanting and excavation contracts creating a def facto monopoly and marginalizing the local businesses in West Subin.

[00:35:28]Our people in Westin province are deeply concerned that local companies can no longer compete with these large foreign entities.

[00:35:39]Local benefits are being extracted out of the province and the country rather than circulating within local communities.

[00:35:48]and their basic rights to participate in business in their own country as envisage under the constitution and national development policies are being undermined.

[00:36:00]There are also serious question questions Mr. speaker as to whether these companies are properly registered as foreign or PNI companies, complying with all PNG laws and regulatory requirements, paying the correct taxes and lodging company and annual returns, and employing foreign workers only with a valid work permits and in accordance with our labor and immigration laws.

[00:36:28]Given that New Britain palm oil runs the plantations, mills and canel crossing operations in western Britain and that major subcontracting opportunities once enjoyed by local business operators have now been absorbed by these conglomerates.

[00:36:44]The people of Western Britain are calling for a thorough investigation and audit into these operations.

[00:36:52]Mr. Speaker, this is not merely a commercial dispute. It is about protecting and securing the business rights of Papa Niginans in Western Britain province now and into the next 50 years consistent with the spirit and intent of our constitution and our national economic empowerment policies.

[00:37:12]My questions without notice are Mr. Mr. Speaker, can the minister inform this honorable house whether the government is survey of the growing dominance of foreign conglomeate companies contracted under semi dhabi on newton palm oil in western province and the resulting displacements of local publican business from constructions civil works per estate replanting and excavation contracts that were traditionally reserved for local companies.

[00:37:44]Two, will the minister direct the relevant government agencies namely the department of commerce and industry, the department of international trade and investment, the investment promotion authority, the internal revenue commission, transit customs service, and the department of labor and immigration to immediately travel to West Liberty to conduct a full investigation and not a whether these companies are properly registered as foreign or PNI companies, whether they are subsidiaries or related entities of semihabi conglomerate, whether they are fully compliant with PNI laws, including tax obligations, company returns and returns, and whether all foreign employees engaged by these companies all are valid work permits and are employed in accordance with our labor and immigration laws.

[00:38:33]If such investigation and audit confirms that these companies are in breach of PJI laws or unfairly displacing local businesses, will the minister commit to take taking corrective action to protect and restore commercial opportunities for local western Britain and public immigrants own companies in Western Britain. developing and enforcing clear policy and regulatory safeguards to ensure that over the next 50 years the business rights of our people in Westin are protected and prioritized in line with the constitution and govern government's policies to take back PNG and economic empowerment agenda. Thank you deputy speaker.

[00:39:17]the honorable minister for internal trade and industry.

[00:39:28]Uh thank you, Mr. Speaker, and I'd like to thank the good member for asking a very very important question. Firstly, I want to say on record, my office is not aware of these allegations. This time, this is the first time I've heard about it. Uh secondly, I want to assure the member that all he has to do now is reduce his question to in writing to me as a formal complaint. Name the specific companies that you are referring to. How long has this been going on so I can take a look at it and talk to my other colleague ministers and we can if we establish this necessary send in a full government investigating team to go and investigate the allegations. This a very serious one we cannot allow and as a responsible government like we did in the case of is oil pump growers complaint we took the matter to court and secured 20 million for the growers we are going to deal with it so please bring the complaint to me in writing and I want to assure you and parliament we are going to uh deal with that as soon as possible thank you >> supplementary >> supplementary question member for Wbec uh Mr. Mr. Speaker, thank you. I think uh a supplementary to that question being asked, I think now you may look more kind.

[00:40:46]I don't know whether the question is to the relevant minister, but I'll ask anyway.

[00:40:51]uh we see a lot of people going to the you know settlements uh going to the villages running trade stores and running small businesses that were supposed to be reserved for indigenous uh people now know longer time now still waiting for something because now trade settlement Mr. Speaker, number one. Number two.

[00:41:46]So this is a country where you taking back PNG or you make him PNG and you may give him go back. This government now slogan where you may come talk take back PNG. Are we really taking back PNG or are we giving it away to our friends and cronies?

[00:42:04]Thank you Mr. Speaker.

[00:42:06]>> Honorable uh minister.

[00:42:10]>> Uh thank you Mr. Speaker. I am not the minister responsible for the reserve list and IPA. question should be redirected to the minister for commerce.

[00:42:18]I thank you Mr. Speaker.

[00:42:21]>> Honorable member for WBEC uh I would ask you to reserve your question and maybe ask in the tomorrow question time so we can direct it to the minister who's responsible to respond to your uh question that is a very important question for our nation. So I'll give you an opportunity to ask that question maybe tomorrow. The honorable member for Aba.

[00:42:45]>> Thank you uh deputy speaker for the opportunity for the above people to ask a question this afternoon >> on their behalf. My question is directed to the good minister for petroleum.

[00:43:00]Given the very long and frustrated delays of the Papua project and given that there is really no news from total after PMC visit to the important country where they are based.

[00:43:20]I'm worried that some of these important projects may not meet their timelines as announced by the minister or the prime minister.

[00:43:29]And therefore in that regard I would request the good minister for petroleum to update the honorable house and the country on the current status of miluan ppl 576.

[00:43:51]It's also the licenses held by total.

[00:43:56]Could the minister update the honorable house as to where are we with regards to the announcement that was made for a deep sea drilling ship to reach the source of Papa New Guinea by late June or July? Are we on time with regards to that public announcement after the Sydney meeting last December?

[00:44:29]Second question, we have enjoyed a non-stop exportation of oil. I think that's a credit to us as a country, oil exporting country for the last 28 to 34 years.

[00:44:50]Kotubu, Moran, and Gob.

[00:44:54]It's now three decades since we've been exporting oil. And given the issues that the world is facing with the war in the Middle East and the famous canal GU where 20% of the world's oil passes through, I think there should be a greater interest for our government and our people as to the prospectivity we have in the country.

[00:45:24]And I want to request the honorable minister of where are these highly prospective areas in the country so that the government can utilize this enormous opportunity to sit down with the investors and facilitate the progress of this important uh ppl that uh that have been publicly announced for me in above.

[00:45:54]I have three PPL of interests.

[00:45:57]One is PPL 576 which is mile one PPL 579 and 695 held by Larus and PPL 697 held by Exxon Mobile.

[00:46:13]These are highly prospective and according to the petroleum industry.

[00:46:20]If mile one is drilled as per the pronounced timetable before the end of this year and hopefully before December total makes the announcement that this is a highly prospective uh uh resource and that this is a commercially viable project then the adjacent PPLs in the petroleum language they call it play play is on. That means that the other two adjacent Larus and Exon Mobile will be able to be incentivized to drill again.

[00:47:05]That means that for me in Abau and central province the prospects are enormous. Is is this the way the minister is reading this and we therefore are interested to know on the progress of uh this important resource the important issue Mr. Speaker as I have deputy speaker I have mentioned the go Moran and Kubu all producing I think they are already 85% exhausted and therefore our refinery Papa refinery is now only producing I understand from the 2023 figures less than 30 barrels per day 30,000 barrels per day and I think that's because of the supply, we may come to a period where Papa will no longer sustain.

[00:48:05]And therefore, the need for us for the government to now start talking about building and establishing a oil refinary policy in this country.

[00:48:20]>> Imino and exporting this plural oil gang. We must now because we believe we are highly prospectous in oil. We must now have a policy ready that we will build the next oil refinery in Papua New Guinea.

[00:48:39]In Papua New Guinea, Nigeria all gimm advice all Nigeria big one of the biggest produce in all countries all advice all blowing up big it doesn't read 100,000 barrels per day. So you don't deserve a worldass refinery. It doesn't achieve 60,000 to 100,000 per barrels per >> honorable member. Go to your question.

[00:49:04]>> Can I extend request to extend question time? I wanted to I wanted to do this because this is the time we must be serious about the policy on all refinery in this country. So may I request extension of question time so that this important question can be properly answered asked and answered by the minister.

[00:49:25]>> Honorable uh member you're still in the process of asking your question and uh question time is already lapsed. So I will ask you to complete your question and allow the minister to uh reply to your question.

[00:49:39]>> Thank you deputy speaker.

[00:49:42]the issue of 30 years of uh three oil fields in the country and if you go up there visit those three oil fields in the country three decades of producing nothing much there in the next finds that we are prospecting for for example for us in central in above on those three PPS I have announced I hope that we will never make the same mistake and so I'm asking the minister have you prepared policy for papu nini to start considering building all refineries on the next finds that are now are looking very very positive in the country. Thank you >> the honorable minister for petrol.

[00:50:27]>> Thank you uh deputy speaker. Um because the time is up I I would request um the chair to extend the question time please. Uh, honorable member, honorable minister, >> honorable minister, uh, like I've said, the question time is already lapsed, but you you still have the floor to uh, reply, so you can go ahead. You can go ahead and reply to the question.

[00:50:51]>> Uh, thank you, Deputy Speaker, and thank you um, member for Aba for very u detailed questions and very important questions to for the country. Um there's a number of questions um and I will request them to put it in writing and I will answer it uh fully in in detail because these are important questions that the country has to know. Um but before I sit down and I um get the I would like to say that um in relation to Papu and LNG um it's it's a significant project for the country regardless of what we do in in this house or regardless what we say I want to give a detailed um answer to the country so the country knows what position and what particular timeline when we will have um the development of this project to start as to milu it is a significant project too undertaking by total energy Um and I agree with the member that if we do come successfully in drilling which will take about 50 days when the when when the drill ship gets there it'll all the other surrounding areas I'm which have no um no um licenses issued I've already frozen them because we I'm waiting for the outcome of the drilling of total and as as he correctly said if it strikes positively obviously all the other license area that are vacant are in play. Um I won't go very much but if the good member can put all these questions in in writing to me I will this week seek your your leave speaker deputy speaker and I will answer them in detail. Thank you >> honorable members. Our question time is slaps.

[00:52:30]Leader of government business.

[00:52:40]>> Deputy speaker, I move that parliament do now adjourn until tomorrow 10 10:00 a.m.

[00:52:47]>> The question is that the motion be agreed to. Those in favor say I.

[00:52:51]And those against say no. I have it.

[00:52:56]Honorable uh members, I now urgent parliament to tomorrow 10:00 a.m.

[00:53:39]Heat.