EDMONTON, March 4 - Datec Group Ltd. Webber says
the company's exploration programme will continue to focus on its core onshore
Taranaki and Papua New Guinea acreage. Other than statements of historical fact,
all statements in this release addressing future production, reserve
potential, exploration and development activities and other contingencies are
forward-looking statements.gov/edgar/searchedgar/webusers .

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Forward Looking Statements:
Statements made in this news release that relate to future plans, events
or performances are forward-looking statements.

The Toronto Stock Exchange has neither approved nor disapproved the
information contained herein.

Austral Updates Flow-Testing and Drilling Operations

The planned flow-test program is scheduled to continue for 30
days.
Analysis of the tests indicates that the productivity of the well is on an
improving trend and that the effect of the "frac" is becoming apparent. The acquisition increases Austral
Pacific 's interests in seven existing Austral Pacific permits while adding two
new permits to the company 's portfolio.

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"SaskTel International is the perfect partner for Datec," said Casey
O'Byrne , Chairman of Datec Group.com) is a leading IT solution provider
employing approximately 400 people in 13 offices located in Australasia and
the South Pacific.
See our public filings at http: //www.

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Consequently, actual results could differ materially from the
expectations expressed in these forward-looking statements. Other than statements of historical fact,
all statements in this release addressing future production, reserve
potential, exploration and development activities and other contingencies are
forward-looking statements. (TSX-V and NZSX: APX; AMEX : AEN) New Austral Pacific CEO Rick
Webber today made a number of announcements concerning the company's current
and planned activities. Pre-project planning is
being fine tuned and the results of the 3D seismic survey will also assist in
the optimization and planning for the Cheal development wells.

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datecgroup.gov/edgar /searchedgar/webusers.

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Datec and SaskTel International sign agreement to explore global telecommunication opportunities

"
"We are excited about this newly developed partnership," said Robert
Watson , SaskTel President and CEO. However, Austral has decided not to participate in the flow testing of
this sandstone as it perceives it has limited reserve potential.com/

Email: ir@austral-pacific . Although management believes the expectations
expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable
assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance, and
actual results or developments may differ materially from those in the
forward-looking statements, due to factors such as market prices, exploration
and development successes, continued availability of capital and financing,
and general economic, market or business conditions. In introducing the announcements Webber said that
Austral Pacific had commenced a process whereby the company would aspire to
become the New Zealand E+P company, pursuing a programme focused on the
creation and growth of shareholder value, with its activities centred on the
deep, tight, gas and condensate reservoirs of the Kapuni formation in the
Taranaki basin.

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It will bring a
tremendous amount of technical know-how and financial strength to our
telecommunication investment activities in the Pacific Islands. WELLINGTON, New Zealand, Austral Pacific
Energy Ltd. The
improvement in well productivity has been reflected in flow rates which have
at times exceeded three million cubic feet per day of gas and 100 barrels per
day of light oil and condensate.

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The
shallower 1.
The Coral Sea drill rig is presently in transit to Papua New Guinea, and
scheduled to arrive in Port Moresby in mid January. "These developments will provide the backbone for the company and
the cash flow will provide the capacity to use both debt and equity to fully
develop the company's reserve base.

Web site: http:/ /www.

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The deal also includes assorted
drilling and completion inventory. Although management believes the expectations
expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable
assumptions , such statements are not guarantees of future performance, and
actual results or developments may differ materially from those in the
forward-looking statements, due to factors such as market prices , exploration
and development successes, continued availability of capital and financing,
and general economic, market or business conditions.

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austral-pacific. Further testing will be undertaken over the
next few weeks to confirm Cardiff's commercial viability.

Organizations in Oceania.

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com

None of the Exchanges upon which Austral Pacific's securities trade have
approved or disapproved the contents hereof.
According to Webber, the permits acquired from Tap provide an excellent
strategic fit with the company's existing exploration portfolio.

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com and
http://www.
Webber said that the results of a series of flow and pressure build-up
tests on the McKee sandstone formation at Austral Pacific's Cardiff-2A well
(onshore Taranaki, New Zealand) had cheered the company significantly .
Austral Pacific also announced today that it had concluded arrangements
with Tap Oil of Australia to purchase all of Tap's onshore New Zealand assets
in a 50/50 joint deal with TAG Oil.

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(TSXV and NZSX: APX; AMEX: AEN) -- Flow-testing of the 5m thick
N-0 sand in Supplejack South-1A (Austral 36 .
See our public filings at http://www. We are undertaking rigorous studies to
mature and high grade the prospects in our inventory in order to identify and
pursue high impact drilling targets . Our intention is to establish and secure
a material, sustainable production profile," Webber says .
We are taking a structured approach to how we go about doing our business,
placing primary focus on creating shareholder value, says Webber. In addition there is considerable follow up
potential , says Webber.

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67%) has produced only formation
water and drill mud; and testing of that zone has now been terminated.
Test equipment is now being mobilized to the Cardiff-2 site.

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"SaskTel International has been involved in
providing state-of-the-art wireless solutions in numerous international
locations , including South America and the Philippines. "We believe that the two companies will be
able to leverage tremendous synergy to support mutual interests globally.5m sandstone is better quality and is expected to flow gas on
test.

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Datec Group (http://www. Any statement containing words
such as "believes" "anticipates" "plans" or "expects" and other statements
which are not historical facts contained in this release are forward-looking,
and these statements involve risks and uncertainties and are based on current
expectations. Testing of
this zone will now be conducted to the 100% cost of joint venture party TAG
Oil.

Renewed Gas Focus for Austral

At the same time,
Webber says the results of a 3D seismic survey currently underway will assist
in the delineation of further deep gas drilling targets in the Austral Pacific
portfolio.com and
http://www.

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This rig is scheduled to
commence drilling the Douglas-1 well (Austral 35%, operator) in late
February/early March

CONTACT: Investor Relations: tel: +1 561 837 8057 ext 2

Web site: http://www.sedar .
"We will look to bring forward the development of the Cheal and Cardif
discoveries, using a phased approach in order to generate early cash flow,"
says Webber. Webber is
optimistic that an announcement concerning the development of the Cheal
oilfield will be forthcoming shortly. In keeping with this
philosophy the company's Douglas-1 exploration well in Papua New Guinea,
expected to spud later in March has a resource potential of ca 150 million
barrels in the oil case.

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67%) is scheduled to commence in early February.htm for further information. We are undertaking rigorous studies to
mature and high grade the prospects in our inventory, says Webber, with an
accent on identifying high impact prospects for drilling.com
Email: ir@austral-pacific.

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WELLINGTON, New Zealand, Austral Pacific
Energy Ltd. In addition
to moving quickly with respect to Cardiff commercialization , we are working to
accelerate the development of the Cheal oil discovery.austral-pacific.com
Phone: Rick Webber, CEO +64 (4) 476 2717

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, a wholly owned subsidiary of SaskTel .

For information and investor inquiries please contact:
Robert Rowell, Investor Relations
Telephone 1-800-299-7823
Email: robertrowell@hedlinlauder.com

1%) is scheduled to commence on
January 16. This release includes certain
statements that may be deemed to be "forward-looking statements" within the
meaning of applicable legislation.

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The
relationship is being formed to explore and develop telecommunication
opportunities globally and will initially focus on the Asia Pacific region to
support existing Datec interests, including those in Papua New Guinea.
In addition, the deeper K3E sands appear on the basis of petrophysical
evidence to have at least as much potential as the McKee sands, says Webber. This release includes certain
statements that may be deemed to be "forward-looking statements" within the
meaning of applicable legislation .htm for further information.

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(TSX: DGL), a
leading provider of information technology and services in Australasia and the
South Pacific, announces a partnership agreement has been signed with SaskTel
International Consulting, Inc."
With 100 years of telecommunications experience, SaskTel has been at the
forefront of providing leading products and services. It was the first telecom
company in the world to deploy fibre optics commercially and one of the first
in North America to introduce both High Speed Internet and video services over
its DSL network. Flow-testing
of the McKee Sands in Cardiff-2A (Austral 25.
Heaphy-1 well (Austral 66.sec.
Plans are afoot to test the deeper zone as soon as possible.
None of the Exchanges upon which Austral Pacific's securities trade have
approved or disapproved the contents hereof.sedar.