Interesting timing with the lease. An announcement had to be made with the options out there and time ticking away. My understanding is that due to the lease being an administrative matter that the director, who is not political, makes the announcement.
With the election on this saturday I cannot imagine the labor government making the announcement of the decision, as much as it is good news in terms of stakeholders and the state coffers. The flip side is that MB has been in the paper a bit, usually for the wrong reasons and EEGc making the announcement is the easier way out for the public servants and government.
I might have overanalysed the situation, however it is positive news whatever the doubters say. The next steps to take the company over the top are to drill and strike oil (a most obvious statement, but one which can now be said with reality with the lease granted).
