Mine collapse should never have happened
Recently in Collingwood Park the unthinkable happened. Old coal mine shafts underneath the suburb collapsed, causing severe damage to more than a dozen homes. The collapse will likely result in some of those houses having to be demolished.
These are cherished family homes, built and bought by people who trusted the state government when it said it was fine to build there. I’m hoping these home owners are getting legal advice, because if this happened to me, I’d be wanting my day in court to have the government explain why they did this.
Its about time that our state government realised that it is elected to help the people, not profit from them. Sanctioning a housing development on top of an old coal mine without doing something like collapsing the old mine shafts first, is just a cheap money grab.
Cr Paul Tully has lost the plot with his comment that the state government should be commended for its response to the issue. You’re kidding right Paul? The state government should be condemned for continuing to sell off land without rehabilitating it first. It would also be nice if he published maps of the affected areas with a few clues as to where they are; Just put one street name on the map Paul, and we’d know whats what!
I invite anyone affected by the issue to leave a comment and let me know how you personally are dealing with it, and what the state government is actually doing to help you.
May 8th, 2008 at 9:58 am
All properties in Ipswich can be searched online free of charge to check valuation, zoning, flooding, underground mining, height restrictions etc etc.
The link is http://www.ipswich.qld.gov.au – then follow the link to PD Online.
Ipswich City Council is the only Council in Australia to offer such an extensive online data base for poetntial purchasers and owners of properties.
Purchasers of properties should check online BEFORE signing any real estate contract.
The State Government’s latest response to offer ALL COLLINGWOOD PARK RESIDENTS – not just the people affected by the latest collapse – a lifetime buyout or repair guarantee if they are ever affected by mining subsidence is to be commended.
The buyout offer will be at pre-mine collapse market value.
It is certainly better than the paltry offerings made by the former National Party government in December 1988, after the first mine collapse in Lawrie Drive Collingwood PaRK.
May 9th, 2008 at 7:09 am
You say the response is commendable, I say it should be expected.
I probably don’t understand the specifics of the land market here, but isn’t it the State government that sells off land for housing? Should the state government not ensure it is safe before selling it?
Then again, you raise a good point about the council’s involvement; What role does the council play in the release of land for development? Perhaps I should be blaming the council and not the state government?