The coal seam gas(煤层气） exploration company Santos has been fined just over 50,000 dollars in the Land and Environment court. The company pleaded guilty to failing to report a spill of cotaminated water in the Pilliga State Forest northwest of Narrabri. Ten thousand litres of waste water escaped from a treatment plant in June, 2011, damaging surrounding vegetation. The Wilderness Society says the fine,though, is not big enough.

 

“This paltry fine that Santos has received sends a really poor message to the coal seam gas industry. It tells them they can get away with serious pollution issues for next to nothing.”

 

The communications watchdog has fined Teltra more than half a million dollars for delays in connecting new landline customers. The 510,000-dollar fine is the biggest penalty delivered by the Australian Communications and Media Authority. ACMA says Telstra connected 88.6 percent of its new landline connections in urban areas in a timely fashion last financial year. That's less than the benchmark of 90 percent.