Update: Hearing in the Queensland Supreme Court
On 4 June 2025, Her Honour Justice Treston handed down her final judgment. In her judgement, her Honour:
approved the agreement for the Council to pay interest on the Judgment amount of $1,950,000.00;
approved the agreement for the Council to pay costs incurred up to 14 March 2024 in the amount of $1,410,419.92;
ordered the Council to pay further costs from 14 March 2024 in the amount of $300,000.00;
appointed Shine to administer the settlement fund;
ordered the Council to pay the costs of administration of the settlement up to $200,000.00;
approved the litigation funder’s commission and reimbursement of legal costs in the total amount of $2,627,448.20; and
approved reimbursement payments to the first plaintiff of $10,000, second and third plaintiffs of $5,000 and fourth plaintiff of $5,000.
This means that following the deductions specified above, around $3.5 million will be distributed to group members in the class action who did not opt out earlier in the proceedings.
What is the Redland Ratepayer Class Action about?
Redland City Council (the Council) advised in March 2017 that the canal maintenance levy it imposed on ratepayers in Redland was potentially contrary to the requirements of the Local Government Act.
While the Council has refunded part of the moneys raised, Shine Lawyers have commenced proceedings on behalf of ratepayers to recover the remaining amount. Shine Lawyers consider that the Council is liable to ratepayers for the balance of moneys raised.
The proceedings are being funded by Augusta Ventures Limited.
If you would like to discuss the class action with a member of our team, please direct your enquiries to redlands.rates@shine.com.au.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a class action?
What is a class action?
When Governments, large companies or institutions do the wrong thing and people are harmed or suffer loss as a result, an individual can have little to no means of bringing a legal claim.
Class actions are an important mechanism within Australia’s legal system that allow large groups of people to come together to pursue a claim collectively.
For a class action to take place, there are three criteria that need to be met:
there must be 7 or more people that have claims against the same defendant; and
the claims relate to the same or similar circumstances; and
the claim must relate to at least one common issue of law or fact.
For more information about how class actions resolve, click here.
How long do class actions take to resolve?
How long do class actions take to resolve?
It can take up to several years for a class action to resolve. The time taken from case commencement through to resolution and settlement administration depends on the particular case, and the nature of the claim.
For more information about class actions and how they work, click here.
Does it cost anything to join a class action?
Does it cost anything to join a class action?
Shine Lawyers is committed to ensuring that everyone, regardless of their background or financial situation, has access to justice. We run our class actions in a way that means you are not exposed to any costs or financial risk, so joining a class action will cost you nothing.
When a class action is successful, the legal fees and costs to run the class action are deducted from the settlement amount that is approved by the Court. If the class action is unsuccessful, we will ensure there are no out-of-pocket costs to you.
Will my contact details be kept private?
Will my contact details be kept private?
Yes, your contact details will remain confidential and we will seek your consent before disclosing any of your personal information (including before such disclosure is required by the Court).
Shine Lawyers will only use your personal information strictly for the purpose of the legal proceedings.
Meet the Redland Ratepayer Class Action team
Shine Lawyers’ Redland Ratepayer Class Action team includes some of the firm’s most experienced litigators, solicitors and support staff. You can learn more about the team running this class action by clicking on their profile below.
Why Choose Shine Lawyers?
In successful settlements and judgments
We have secured more than $1 billion in class action settlements and judgments for our group members.
years of collective experience
Our team includes the country’s most experienced class actions experts and litigators with the skill, industry insight and dedication to deliver the best possible outcomes for deserving Australians.
dedicated class actions team members
We are proudly one of the largest class actions teams in the country. Our senior practitioners are supported by a dedicated team devoted to the complex field of class actions.
