channel 2 on 7.30 report tonight, page-4

If I knew nothing about UCG and the Kingaroy trial and Cougar Energy and the events of the last twelve months, I would've come away from this TV report thinking I'm glad there are no UCG participants in my backyard.

Scientific analysis regarding Cougar Energy's trial and the report having a bit of 'what if' debate would have helped Cougar, but this report just confuses people and plays to the fears of the KCCG. Why don't they go in the middle of a coal mine or at an on-shore oil well and do some readings for these chemicals and see what they'll find.

The KCCG were prominent before the detection of readings of benzene and toluene and they become major players during the initial shutdown and afterwards. Their plackards had been made prior to Cougar even starting their trial. They peddle fear and they won because of fear. Lead is toxic. Coal is toxic. Filling up at the petrol station is toxic. Walking across the bl00dy road next to peak hour traffic that is stationary is toxic...Gees, just compare the actual harm caused at Kingaroy with the actual pollution and effects of pollution and the mess that is happening at other mine sites and due to other industries waste!!!

Why don't the ABC Report or DERM for that matter compare readings taken at Cougar's Kingaroy site with each and every mine site to gather readings of carcinogens? You say- Why bother when it doesn't impact water supplies or the broader environment outside a mine site? Well this is exactly what Cougar are saying!!! Was animal, or human health effected or likely to be effected where these readings were taken - i.e. in the middle of Cougar's trial site????????

The tv report imo was appropriate fodder for a television audience. TV reports need to be filled with peoples 'opinions' and how they 'feel' about the events, rather than the rational debate about facts and figures. The start of the end of Cougar's Kingaroy trial began with DERM and minister Robertson agreeing to meetings in community halls at Kingaroy and the Minister and DERM saying things like; "If this technology cannot be operated safely, then it has no future in Queensland." All of this prior to the independent experts reports and prior to any rational assessment. You guessed it; it was just prior to an election.