 |
| Ipswich Motorway Goodna looking east towards Gailes during the Brisbane River flood of 11 Janaury 2011. |
Security guards have again been stationed outside the homes of three engineers under investigation for their alleged mismanagement of Wivenhoe Dam at the height of last years' floods.
In its final report, released on Friday, the Floods Commission of Inquiry recommended the Crime and Misconduct Commission investigate charging flood engineers, John Tibaldi, Rob Ayre and Terry Malone, over their operation of Wivenhoe Dam.
Mr Tibaldi and Mr Malone have taken special leave from their positions in charge of Wivenhoe Dam, since giving evidence at the inquiry last month.
The engineers are accused of breaching the dam's manual and then misleading the inquiry over contemporaneous records about its operation.
The CMC has been asked to review the engineer's preparation of documents surrounding the activation of certain water release strategies, including a brief to then-minister Stephen Robertson.
Seqwater today confirmed government security guards were stationed outside the homes of flood engineers in order to protect them from the media and the public.
"In the lead up to, and following, the release of the final report, Seqwater engaged security personnel for their flood engineers via the state government's security services," Seqwater said in a statement to brisbanetimes.com.au.
"These personnel have been required to ask media to respect the engineers' privacy."
Private security guards were hired last month to protect the engineers after media reported that the trio had received death threats.
At the time, Premier Anna Bligh said the security guards were hired only as a precaution, because police had been unable to confirm the death threat reports.
At least one southeast Queensland flood victim has said he does not feel vindictive towards the engineers.
But 70-year-old Goodna resident Dave Carney said he is waiting for them to admit their wrongdoing.
“What I suspected all along and what a lot of other residents suspected – that [dam operators] did the wrong thing in the first place – was right,” he said on Friday.
“They decided they better not let us know that.
“I'm not vindictive. Everybody makes mistakes and they've obviously made mistakes. But the only thing they've done wrong is try to cover it up.”
Tonight flood victims will meet in Goodna to discuss a possible class action against the state government, following the release of the inquiry's final report.
The meeting at Goodna State School will be convened by Ipswich councillor Paul Tully and lawyers from Maurice Blackburn will be on hand to explain flood victims' rights from 7pm.
"This is an opportunity for home and business owners, as well as renters, to recover property and contents losses, decreases in house and land values and pain and suffering as a result of the flood, "Cr Tully said.
"This will be the largest class action ever undertaken in Australia and flood victims are entitled to be fairly compensated for this man-made flood."
www.BrisbaneTimes.com.au
19.3.12
