Town of Katherine to file multimillion-dollar lawsuit against Defence Department

THE  Territory town of ­Katherine is expected to file a multimillion-dollar class action lawsuit against the Department of Defence this week

Shine Lawyers’ Lachlan Brimblecombe and Julia Younger met with members of the Katherine community earlier this year to discuss a PFAS class action. Picture: Patrina Malone

THE  Territory town of ­Katherine is expected to file a multimillion-dollar class action lawsuit against the Department of Defence this week.

Shine Lawyers, who are ­acting on behalf of the town, is alleging the Department of Defence negligently allowed firefighting foam to escape from RAAF Base Tindal and contaminate the town’s soil and groundwater.

The foam contains potentially dangerous man-made chemicals called PFAS and PFOA.

The long-term health effects of exposure to the chemicals are still unknown.

Shine Lawyers head of class action Jan Saddler said over 300 people had been in touch with them about the lawsuit in Katherine.

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“It has contaminated the land, the water, the river – and it’s had an impact on the people,” she said.

“It’s heartbreaking to hear their stories.”

Katherine will be the third Australian town to sue Defence over the chemicals.

Ms Saddler said Katherine residents who owned, or had owned, residential or commercial property in the contaminated area could join the suit.

Lawyers will argue that PFAS contamination negatively affected business and land values in Katherine.

Merlyn Smith, who lives in the contamination zone but doesn’t own property, is frustrated she won’t be able to join the suit.

“Decrease in property value is measurable. The poisoning of our lives is not,” she said.

A Defence spokesman said it was aware IMF Bentham Limited would provide unconditional funding for a proposed Katherine class action to be conducted by Shine Lawyers.

“At this stage, no legal proceedings have commenced or been notified to the Commonwealth,” he added.