Senate Standing Committee on Economics
Resources, Energy and Tourism Portfolio
Budget Senate Estimates
Question: BR4

Senator Ludlam asked:
Ms Constable: It is always the intention when you have government-to-government and cross-jurisdictional issues to bring it before the Ministerial Council on Mineral and Petroleum Resources, which will shortly change to the energy and resource council. That particular issue will certainly be brought forward either as a noting item or for consideration by ministers. So it is more for information, as opposed to approval of ministers.
Senator LUDLAM: I do not get invited to those meetings and neither does most of the general public.
Ms Constable: There is always a communique that is put out after those meetings. If there is a report published then that report is always made public.
Senator LUDLAM: Okay. What is the frequency of meetings at the moment, again specifically on that issue of the cross-jurisdictional stuff?
Ms Constable: We will have to take that on notice.
Mr Sheldrick: With respect to the frequency of the uranium council meetings, there are generally about two a year. There is one scheduled for 7 June in Perth where the work program will be discussed.
Senator LUDLAM: Will that coincide with the world uranium conference?
Mr Sheldrick: The AusIMM conference.
Senator LUDLAM: So there will be a meeting at the same time. Where is that due to take place?
Mr Sheldrick: Sorry, Senator?
Senator LUDLAM: Where and when is that taking place?
Mr Sheldrick: That meeting?
Senator LUDLAM: Yes.
Mr Sheldrick: It is on the 7th. I think it is in the venue of the AusIMM but I would need to check that.

Answer:
Traditionally the Ministerial Council on Mineral and Petroleum Resources (MCMPR) has held one meeting per year. Under the Council of Australian Government's new system of councils (to come into effect in mid 2011), cross-jurisdictional energy and resources issues will be brought to the Standing Council on Energy and Resources (SCER). SCER will meet twice per year; the first meeting of this group is scheduled for December 2011. A Communiqué is released at the close of MCMPR and SCER Council meetings and made publicly available via Council websites.

The Uranium Council Meeting meets twice yearly; the first meeting for this year took place at the WA Department of Mines and Petroleum, Mineral House, in Perth on 7 June 2011.