Victims of a devastating flood that swamped southeast Queensland have welcomed the state government's decision not to challenge a landmark class action ruling.
But the law firm that brought the case says that commitment would be meaningless if state-owned entities Seqwater and Sunwater do appeal.
The NSW Supreme Court ruled in favour of 6800 claimants who sued the Queensland government, Seqwater and Sunwater over the scale of the 2011 disaster.
It found the Queensland government and dam operators were negligent in managing the deluge, meaning damage was worse than it otherwise would have been.
Attorney General Yvette D'Ath on Thursday announced the government would respect that decision.
"The Queensland government will not appeal the NSW Supreme Court decision concerning the South-East Queensland Flood Class Action," she said in a statement.
"This decision is separate to any action that may be taken by other parties to the NSW Supreme Court decision."
Frank Beaumont's Goodna home went under when the floodwater rose.
Now the 77-year-old is ready to move on.
"(I'm) very very pleased that they've seen the sense that we should never have flooded anyway and they've accepted the judge's decision and we can now move on and put in a claim," he told ABC radio on Friday.
However, claimants are still waiting for Seqwater and Sunwater to announce whether they will challenge the court ruling. They have until the end of the month to lodge appeals.
Law firm Maurice Blackburn, which brought the class action, says its clients deserve the compensation they have spent years fighting for.
"It will make little difference to the situation of the people of south east Queensland if the state doesn't appeal, but state-owned entities Seqwater and Sunwater do appeal," principal Rebecca Gilsenan said.
Former Ipswich councillor and claimant Paul Tully says the state government should step in and force an immediate decision.
"The 1600 page judgment makes it clear that both were legally at fault," he said in a statement.
"They should throw the towel in and stop wasting further public money on unwinnable appeals to the Court of Appeal and High Court."
Australian Associated Press
