newman won't rule cougar out, page-2

Liberal National Party (LNP) leader Campbell Newman has not ruled out approving an
underground coal gasification (UCG) plant in southern Queensland if the party wins
government.

However, Mr Newman says Queensland mining applications need stricter environmental
protocols.

The State Government shut down operations at the Cougar Energy site near Kingaroy in
the state's South Burnett region in January last year, after tests on neighbouring
bores found minute traces of banned chemicals.

Cougar Energy is suing the State Government for $34 million over its decision to close
the operation.

A Kingaroy residents' group has raised concerns the LNP may resurrect the UCG plant
near the town.

Mr Newman says the LNP will consider all applications.

"I gave a speech to the Queensland Resources Council a few months ago and I said there
are things the industry wants in terms of getting approvals through the system," he
said.

"I said to them if we become the Government, we are going to deliver that, but have to
see the bar going up - we have to have better environmental compliance.

"We have to have stronger more stringent conditions in the future."

Mr Newman says the project's environmental concerns should have been considered
beforehand.

"The bottom line is that we will only allow industries like CSG [coal seam gas] or
underground coal gasification to go forward in this state with the strictest of
environmental conditions and we've already said that to the resources industry," he
said.