Qld: State govt to find who is responsible for sinking homes

AAP General News (Australia)
04-28-2008
Qld: State govt to find who is responsible for sinking homes

By Jessica Marszalek and Rosemary Desmond

BRISBANE, April 28 AAP - Queensland Premier Anna Bligh says the state government will
ensure the futures of homeowners whose houses have been evacuated due to old underground
coal mines.

Nineteenth-century coal mines have been blamed for causing cracks in homes in the Ipswich
suburb of Collingwood Park.

More evacuations are expected as engineers grapple with the problem of the subsidence
in about 20 homes.

Ms Bligh today moved to ease homeowners' concerns, saying the government would find
out who was at fault and would offer assistance.

"Where we can save their properties we will and where we can't we will sit down and
work through the legal issues to ensure that they are provided with a future, as we would
if this was a flood or any other form of disaster," she told reporters.

"I can guarantee them that we will sit down with them, look at their own personal circumstances,
what their own insurance covers or doesn't cover, what liability might accrue to the state
or to the council ... and make sure that you have a certain future."

She said the government would not shy from the responsibility if it was found to be at fault.

"If there is a liability to the state government, then we will for not one minute shirk
that liability," Ms Bligh said.

But it was possible old records of mining in the area were not complete and could hinder
the investigation, she said.

Ipswich mayor Paul Pisasale said Queensland had done well out of mining and the state
government should make funds available to those affected.

He said homeowners were "distraught" over the damage.

Queensland Department of Mines and Energy executive director of statewide services
Jim Grundy said it would take several days to gauge the full extent of the problem.

"Once we have detailed studies of the area, and once we have established the extent
and the total area affected by subsidence, we will put together a comprehensive, longer
term response plan," Mr Grundy said.

AAP jmm/pjo/jm/mn

KEYWORD: SUBSIDENCE NIGHTLEAD

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