On the 23rd of May, members of the Shine Lawyers class actions team met with the concerned ratepayers in Wodonga at the Albury Entertainment Centre to discuss the potential class action and how it will affect the community.
The potential class action would be on behalf of members of the Wodonga community who own, or have owned, residential or commercial property in the contaminated area. Shine Lawyers are investigating whether the contamination by PFAS has negatively impacted business and land values in Wodonga.
The Department of Defence are undertaking investigations to determine the extent of land and groundwater contamination from the use of PFAS chemicals in the Bandiana Military Area. For more information on the investigations, visit the Department of Defence website.
The Wodonga investigation follows the launch of a class action in Oakey by Shine Lawyers against the Department of Defence.
Please note the Wodonga investigation is not considering personal injury claims relating to exposure to PFAS contamination.
Am I eligible to join the class action?
The Department of Defence is currently undertaking long-term environmental investigations into the contamination of soil and groundwater in the Wodonga area. As part of this investigation, the Department of Defence has released a map identifying the investigation area. A copy of the investigation area map can be accessed on the website of the Department of Defence.
At present, to be eligible for the potential Class Action, your property or business must be located in or around the investigation area. The main categories of claimants that will be eligible to join are the following:
- Property owners within or around the investigation area; and
- Commercial businesses within or around the investigation area.
It may be that the eligibility criteria for the Class Action will change, depending on legal advice. If the criteria changes, we will let you know.
Who is Shine Lawyers' Class Action team?
Shine Lawyers' Class Action team includes some of the firm’s most experienced special counsel, solicitors and support staff, including law clerks and paralegals. The Wodonga investigation team includes:
