QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE

Senator LAMBIE (Tasmania) (14:30): My question is for the Minister for Industry and Innovation and the Minister for Science, Minister Ayres. In February last year, I started raising concerns with government, federal and state, about the financial situation regarding the Gupta Family Group, known as GFG, and how their financial issues could and would ultimately flow down to Liberty's manganese smelter in Bell Bay.

The responses I got were basically, 'We know,' 'We're watching this closely,' and, 'We can take action, as we've done with the green steel fund.' Then, in March, Ernst & Young was appointed as an administrator to find a buyer. Six months later, we hear it's being liquidated because there are no viable buyers. I've heard that a number of offers have been made.

Minister, how many offers have been made or put forward, and why have you assessed them as non-viable?