Decision under review

THE National Court has allowed landowners of four clans in Hela’s Angore to challenge Petroleum Minister Kerenga Kua’s March 30 decision on the identification of beneficiary clans.
The landowners are from the Petroleum Development Licence 8 (PDL 8).
They were represented by Halepura chairman Hari John Akipe, Tope chairman John Poi, Jaluma chairman Hamiya Jula and Tapu Yalo chairman Philip Pokopi.
Judge Oagile Key Dingake in Waigani on Friday granted leave for a judicial review of Kua’s decision through their lawyer Judy Nandape.
The PDL 8 clans want a review of a decision contained in the ministerial determination which was published in the National Gazette on March 30.
This was in relation to the identification of the beneficiary clans in the Papua New Guinea Liquefied Natural Gas (PNG LNG) project impact areas of Angore Wellhead Block 1715 PDL 8 in Hela’s Tari-Pori.
Petroleum secretary David Manau, Kua and the State were named as respondents.
Akipe, Poi, Jula and Pokopi, through Nandape, said in 2015, the National Court had referred them to a mediation.
Nandape, by way of background, said after mediation 49 clans were identified, a consent order was signed and there was an election whereby office bearers were elected.
After that, a mediator agreement was signed.
They were to return to court when the ministerial determination was published on March 30 with additional two clans.