Prawn White Spot Class Action

WHAT TO DO IF YOU ARE A GROUP MEMBER IN THIS ACTION

Opt Out by 4.00pm (AEST) on 12 February 2024

Group Members of the Prawn White Spot Class Action may do one of two things:

1. Opt out of the class action by no later than 4.00pm (AEST) on 12 February 2024. If you Opt Out, you will cease to be a group member in the class action.  This means that the case will no longer affect you. 
   
   You can opt out by completing the opt out form titled “Notice of Opting Out By Group Member” at page 9 of the document titled “Annexure A - Notice: Important Notice Sent by Order of the Supreme Court of Queensland” which can be found by clicking the link "Court Ordered Notice" below by no later than 4.00pm (AEST) on 12 February 2024; or
    
2. Do nothing if you wish to remain a group member.
    

Summary

Clyde & Co has started a class action on behalf of group members in the Supreme Court of Queensland in relation to the outbreak of “Prawn White Spot Syndrome” in the Logan River and Moreton Bay areas in Queensland in late 2016. The class action is known as the “Prawn White Spot Class Action”.

 In summary, the class action alleges that the outbreak of Prawn White Spot Syndrome virus (WSSV) in the Logan River and nearby properties in late 2016 was caused by infected uncooked prawn meat being imported into Australia, not being properly inspected by the Commonwealth Government’s quarantine inspectors, then being released from quarantine and eventually getting into the Logan River as waste or as fishing bait or berley.

 The plaintiffs also allege that the Commonwealth Government:

1. when applying its quarantine procedures for imported prawn products, owed a duty of care to the various prawn farming, commercial fishing (including crabbing and bloodworming), and other businesses that were affected by “movement control orders” and other responses enforced by State and Federal Governments in the wake of the outbreak.
    
2. breached that duty of care, and that the breaches led to the outbreak.
    
3. by allowing infected prawn meat out of quarantine, interfered with the quality of the waters in the Logan River and Moreton Bay and the commercial fishing group members’ public right to fish so to become “tortious nuisance”.

The Commonwealth Government denies that it is liable for the outbreak and has filed a Defence in response to the plaintiffs’ allegations.

For further information on the class action and what you need to do click on the Court Ordered Notice link below.

Key Documents

Court Ordered Notice

Order of The Honourable Justice Brown

Court Documents

Contact Us

For more information on this class action, or to get in touch with our team, please email ClydeCoTweedBaitProceedings@clydeco.com.

Alternatively, click on any of the team below to get in contact directly.