Vigilante justice fears after Logan flood mapping sparks citywide fury

The backlash after a southside council listed 20,000 properties on new flood mapping has now moved to potential vigilante action.

Logan acting mayor Scott Bannon called police after ‘vigilante justice’ threats were made against council staff helping organise a public forum to discuss the new flood mapping.

Police are investigating threats of vigilante justice after thousands of ratepayers expressed outrage and vowed to take legal action over new flood mapping they say will unnecessarily devalue their southside properties.

The backlash has engulfed Logan City Council, which was forced to cancel a key community consultation session at Jimboomba on the weekend after staff were targeted with threats of violence online.

Acting Mayor Scott Bannon said police were called after names of council staff were posted on a Facebook community group, followed by calls to find their addresses and take vigilante action.

“That staff member has been going home worried someone will turn up at his house in front of his wife and children,” Cr Bannon said in a video message to residents.

“I can’t get a solution when people are threatening to injure or harm staff. It’s un-Australian. It’s unacceptable. I’ll never cop it.

“I personally contacted QPS and we will be leaving the investigation to the professionals,” he said.

Logan council sent out 20,000 letters warning ratepayers their properties were now in a flood zone.

The cancelled public information session was meant to give residents a chance to challenge controversial new flood overlays, which have added more than 20,000 properties to flood-affected zones.

Instead, Cr Bannon warned future sessions will shift online to ensure the “safest way possible” for community and the council to work together.

Residents across Logan said they were paying the price, with soaring insurance premiums, collapsing property sales and years of rates paid on land now branded as flood-risk.

The backlash has also sparked talk of a class action and referrals to the Crime and Corruption Commission.

Bethania resident Gail MacPherson said the changes were “like losing your life savings”, adding her 750 sqm block had never been mapped as flood-prone.

Greenbank couple Stan and Suz Corbett called the process a “Catch-22”, saying residents must accept disclaimers before accessing official flood reports.

“How is that fair when people’s life savings are on the line?” they wrote.

Outrage has exploded citywide, with more than 600 people turning up at a community meeting last Tuesday and the new Logan Flood Mapping Action Group swelling past 1800 members in under a week.

Hundreds of angry residents packed into a Logan town hall meeting last week before the threats were made. Picture: Contributed

The council said flood-risk mapping now covers about 47,000 Logan properties, including 23,000 at low risk, 7000 at moderate risk and 15,000 at high risk.

It said studies were carried out by independent experts and reviewed under state planning rules introduced after the 2011 floods.

Cr Bannon said council was listening and all submissions would be reviewed.

He said following public consultation, a report would be reviewed and endorsed by the council early next year and then provided to the state government with the updated Logan Town Plan.

Each person who made a submission and provided their contact details will be sent a link to the Consultation Report.

But residents said the trust has already been damaged.

Consultation on the draft Logan Plan remains open until October 31.

“We have heard loud and clear the stress people are feeling and we are committed to working on the issues raised,” Cr Bannon said.

“We have come out on the front foot, asking for your feedback and submissions and any suggestion otherwise is incorrect.”