Seqwater and SunWater should hang their heads in shame over their treatment of flood victims

In a disgraceful move, Queensland government entities Seqwater and SunWater have treated victims of the 2011 Brisbane River flood disgracefully.

When the Floods Commission of Inquiry Report was handed down in 2012, there was bipartisan support from the then Premier Anna Bligh and then LNP Leader Campbell Newman that, irrespective of the pending election, each of them would ensure the Queensland government acted as a "model litigant" in the event of a class action over the flood.

On 8 July 2014, a class action was filed by Maurice Blackburn Lawyers on behalf of over 4000 claimants in the New South Wales Supreme Court.  It was funded by Bentham IMF Limited.

On 5 November 2014, that claim was formally opposed in the Supreme Court by Seqwater and SunWater who sought orders to strike out the claims.

That is truly appalling behaviour by these two entities who are proving they have hearts of lead and the compassion of a dead dingo.

Peter Denniss - CEO Seqwater

The Australian newspaper reported today:

Peter Denniss, the head of Seqwater, said the NSW Supreme Court strike-out action was based on the "lack of detail in the (class action) claim".

Is he serious? - A detailed 153 page claim and he says there is a "lack of detail"!

Does he know what a "model litigant" is?

The Premier Campbell Newman should step in and tell those running these two out-of-touch entities to pull their horns in and allow the class action to proceed unhindered by legal technicalities, corporate prevarication and inappropriate delaying tactics.

Only then can the Supreme Court begin to consider the merits of the legal action free from petty legal tactics which make some of Clive Palmer's more-outrageous courtroom antics look like those of positively-impeccable litigant.