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| Wivenhoe Dam spillway. |
PREMIER Campbell Newman has taken a veiled swipe at the legal firm representing the thousands of Ipswich and Brisbane residents who are seeking compensation after their homes and businesses were flooded in 2011.
Residents have been given the green light to launch a far-reaching class action claim after litigation backer IMF Australia and law firm Maurice Blackburn claim extensive modelling of the disaster revealed unnecessary flooding was caused by the negligent operation of Wivenhoe and Somerset Dams.
So far, 5000 people have signed up, with claims against the Queensland Government, Sunwater and Seqwater totalling more than $1 billion.
Mr Newman said on Wednesday (Nov 27) he hoped all those people who sign up read the fine print closely.
"Everybody's entitled to mount a legal action in this country. That is what democracy and the legal system is all about," he said.
"I just say to them that I hope that they have got a very clear deal with the legal firm or legal firms involved.
"I would hate to see any sort of payout to them, if that ultimately happened, being gobbled up in legal fees."
Maurice Blackburn principal Damian Scattini said community meetings would be held in Ipswich and Brisbane, with the meetings to play an important role in helping to ensure registrants were properly informed of the next steps in the action.
EARLIER: THOUSANDS of Ipswich and Brisbane residents whose homes and businesses were damaged in the 2011 floods have been given the green light to launch a far-reaching class action claim next year.
Litigation backer IMF Australia and Maurice Blackburn say extensive modelling of the disaster has revealed the extent of unnecessary flooding caused by the negligent operation of Wivenhoe and Somerset Dams.
So far, 5000 people have signed up, with claims against the Queensland Government, Sunwater and Seqwater totalling more than $1 billion.
Maurice Blackburn principal Damian Scattini said community meetings would be held in Ipswich and Brisbane, with the meetings to play an important role in helping to ensure registrants were properly informed of the next steps in the action.
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| Ipswich Mayor Paul Pisasale stands on the River Heart parklands side of the Bremer River |
"Anyone who was inundated and suffered loss during the 2011 flood of the Brisbane and Bremer Rivers may have a claim and should contact IMF to find out whether their property was unnecessarily flooded," he said.
"For most people, this was a flood that should not have happened if Wivenhoe and Somerset Dams had been operated properly.
"We have put many months of work into this case and we are now ready to run this case and file a lawsuit after we give flood victims a final opportunity to join the claim."
Flood-affected residents have until February 28, 2014, to sign up.
Meetings for registrants will be held on Sunday, December 15, at The Greek Club, South Brisbane, from 1pm, and on Monday, December 16, at the Metro Hotel International, Ipswich, from 7pm.
For more information about the meetings or to register for the floods class action visit:imf.com.au/Wivenhoe/default.aspx
28.11.13
