Lock the Gate Alliance is pleased that the NSW Government is finally investigating damage to the Pilliga State Forest due to Coal Seam Gas mining.

"I was out in the Pilliga prior to Christmas and damage to the forest was quiet obvious, what I saw was lots of dead trees adjacent to CSG wells and two wells that appeared to be venting something gaseous directly to the atmosphere," said Jacinta Green, Vice President of Lock the Gate Alliance.

Lock the Gate Alliance is demanding Arrow Energy make public any study it has commissioned into the hydrogeology of the Albert River catchment near Beaudesert in Queensland, where local landholders are conducting a blockade.

"Arrow Energy's underground water impact report (UWI) is focussed on an area in the neighbouring Logan catchment," said Jacinta Green, Vice President of Lock The Gate Alliance.

"Locals say the Albert Valley has quite different geology. The current UWI report contains many assumptions and statements that are of concern to the local community."

"Two days ago Arrow Energy appeared to be listening to community concerns and pulled their recently installed drill rig out of Nindooinbah Estate Road, Kerry in the Scenic Rim area of Queensland. Community campaigners had been asking for a water study to be completed before any drilling commenced," Jacinta Green, Vice President of Lock the Gate Alliance said.

"Yesterday afternoon Arrow Energy moved the drill rig back into location. This morning workers from Arrow Energy turned up and then left the site. Campaigners were then surprised to see them return escorted by the Queensland police," Green said.

Local resident Sally Undery said, "Arrow had indicated that they would consider taking part in a community research and testing program and a meeting to start planning was scheduled for January 31. I for one am extremely disappointed that they don't appear to be taking any of it seriously and have started drilling before a plan can even be made."

Arrow Energy had moved in drill rigs and were preparing to commence drilling at one of four proposed holes in the Scenic Rim. The residents of the Scenic Rim have been long opposed to Coal Seam Gas Mining in the area, which is home to eight national parks, many of which fully or partly fall into the Central Eastern Reserves Rainforest Australian World Heritage Area.

"The local community had geared up and was ready to commence blockading the site, when reports came in that the drill rig was moved out this morning, workers appear to be packing up the rest of the site," said Jacinta Green, Vice President of Lock the Gate Alliance said.

Lock the Gate Alliance says that today's revelations today that Martin Ferguson has been pushed by the energy industry to increase surveillance of environmental activists, is more evidence that the fossil fuel sector  is really running Australia.

"Once again the federal government has demonstrated it exists for the convenience of the fossil fuel sectors.  It is prepared to criminalise those constituents  standing up for clean air, clean food and clean water because the almighty dollar is deemed more important than the health of well-being of Australian communities," said Jacinta Green, Vice President of Lock the Gate Alliance.