More on Shale Oil:

ABC: Mayor urges greener shale oil production

The Mayor of Gladstone, in central Queensland, says any future production of shale oil has to be done environmentally better than before. The State Government has put a 20-year moratorium on a deposit near Proserpine, but Gladstone's Stuart Reserve is not affected.

Courier Mail: Good name hurt by shale oil debacle

THE State Government's sudden and unexpected weekend decision to effectively put the skids on Queensland's would-be shale oil industry might make wonderful sense if your only objective in life is winning green votes. But as formal government policy it is a terrible idea, and not because shale oil may or may not be a long-term answer to our energy needs; but rather because of the way the Government went about making this decision.

Westender: Whitsundays gets reprieve

Greenpeace welcomes the decision by Queensland Premier Anna Bligh to stop the proposed oil shale project in the Whitsundays. Greenpeace congratulates the local community for their campaign to protect this spectacular region. "This proposal should never have been given serious consideration," Greenpeace climate campaigner John Hepburn said. The still experimental shale oil mining process is a massive greenhouse gas polluter.

Herald Sun: Trucks face toll threat on old roads

NEW tolls on existing roads could be imposed on commercial vehicles as part of a major transport plan. State Roads Minister Tim Pallas yesterday ruled out charges for motorists, but left the door open for new tolls on trucks. Mr Pallas restated the State Government's policy that tolls would only be considered for new road projects. "Our position remains open in terms of new roads being tolled, but we won't be tolling existing roads for general motorists use," Mr Pallas said. A congestion tax, which would be levied on motorists driving into the city, was ruled out, but the city parking tax would stay, Mr Pallas said.

SMH: O'Farrell powers into barrel of trouble

BUSINESS leaders have demanded a meeting with Barry O'Farrell today in a last-ditch attempt to convince the Opposition Leader not to block Morris Iemma's power privatisation plan when Parliament votes on Thursday.

The Age: Air NZ hit by fuel, profit up slightly

Air New Zealand has posted a lift in profit of just 1 per cent for the year to June 30, saying its "normalised" earnings has dropped 24 per cent on last year to $NZ197 million ($A161.56 million). Chairman John Palmer blamed a $NZ300 million ($A246.03 million) rise in the cost of fuel over the past year.