Cougar was taken to task for a breach of it's operating conditions, namely a failure to notify DERM of an anomolous reading in a monitoring well. No-one but Cougar was responsible for that. A low-level benzene reading in itself wasn't big news, the failure to report was.
By the time they 'fessed up there is little doubt in my mind DERM, or any government agency, was keen to make an example of any company. The pressure from farmers and greenies on a weak government made it obvious, imo, that any company transgressing was going to be hung out to dry. Is that fair? Probably not, but Cougar by their own actions (inaction?) gave DERM the chance to make an example of someone. Cougar's risk management was woeful.
MrT, if you knew anything about Qld politics you'd know the LNP's great ability to lose the unlosable.
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