Queensland government ordered to pay 2011 Brisbane floods victim $250,000 in compensation

The Queensland Government, Seqwater and Sunwater have been ordered to pay a 2011 Brisbane floods victim more than $250,000 in compensation.

Toowoomba floods

The Queensland government and two water suppliers have to pay compensation over the 2011 floods Source: AAP

The Queensland government and two of its water suppliers have been ordered to pay $253,000 to one of the victims of the 2011 Brisbane floods.

Vince Rodriguez sought damages after his sporting goods store was devastated by the massive rain event.

In a landmark decision in 2019, the NSW Supreme Court found the entities were liable for the failures of engineers operating two dams during the floods.
Vince Rodriguez
2011 Queensland flood victim Vince Rodriguez has won a compensation claim against the QLD Government and water suppliers Source: AAP
On Friday, it ordered Mr Rodriguez to be compensated.

Seqwater will bear the brunt of the costs, paying $126,500 or 50 per cent, while Sunwater will stump up 30 per cent and the Queensland government the remaining 20 per cent.

The ruling paves the way for one of Australia's largest class action payouts.

Almost 7,000 people have taken legal action against the state government and its water suppliers over the 2011 Brisbane floods.

Maurice Blackburn Lawyers spokeswoman Rebecca Gilsenan said she hoped it now moved quickly to resolve the legal proceedings.
Brisbane Floods
The 2011 floods in South East Queensland caused more than $2.4 billion dollars in damage to homes and property. Source: AAP
"This decision paves the way for the state government to settle this matter and pay our clients the compensation they deserve," she said in a statement.

Ms Gilsenan said she and her clients were pleased the court had rejected the state's claim it was only responsible for less than one per cent of the damage caused during the floods.

The case was heard in a NSW court because it was initiated before class actions were allowed in Queensland in 2017.


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Published 29 May 2020 4:36pm


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