Class action?

Anger is mounting, as nearly 50 residents gathered for a meeting on Sunday regarding the proposed powerline from Warwick to Stanthorpe.
Chaired by Greg Eather from Absolute War Against Radiation (AWARE), the community forum was open to discuss feedback from last week’s Process Design Workshop.
Numerous AWARE members and locals discussed updates, with koala sightings, correspondence with government, alternate line route options, environmental issues, impacts on tourism, loss of property values and health issues.
Many attendees at the workshop, run by Twyfords last week at the RSL in Warwick, were extremely disappointed at the over-representation of people not directly affected by the proposed powerline routes and the lack of information that people were basing their opinions on.
Resident Bev Hibberd said, “We were told previously at information sessions that the CRG (Community Reference Group) would be represented geographically by someone from each proposed line route. On Tuesday night (May 15) we were told that affected residents are over passionate and not impartial enough to be involved and he would likely only select a small number of people who can bring that background to the table.”
Residents are now organising themselves to mount class actions, as up to three law firms are interested in taking the case on.
The legal action is on the basis of loss of property rights, decreases in land valuations, and protecting endangered flora and fauna.
People getting involved include those who have koalas residing on their land, locals supplying suitable tree branches to the Moggill Koala Hospital and people trying to protect numerous endangered plants and flowers.
Thulimbah resident Carol Ann Miller had seen “many koalas around the Goodwin Road area and now had to delay building their house, as Ergon had approached them about possible line routes across their property”.
She was also nervous about the visual degradation of their Castle Glen Liqueurs property for tourists visiting their area.
Sharron Barker from Warwick said that “now is the time to be seeking an injunction preventing Ergon from going further with this powerline and to review the entire consultation process”.
Anyone who couldn’t make it to the meeting can contact Sharron on (07) 4661 3144 during business hours if they are interested in joining a class action.