A Federal Court Justice considering whether the proposed settlement to PFAS-affected residents at Williamtown is fair and reasonable is urging them to accept the offer.
Some residents in the PFAS Red Zone are unhappy with the proposed $86 million settlement, saying the expected $175,000 each is not enough to compensate for their contaminated properties, writing to Justice Michael Lee outlining their concerns.
In a video conference with residents on Thursday, Justice Lee said he was unable to order the government to increase it's offer and it would be in their best interests to accept it, given the high cost and uncertainty of further litigation.
President of the Fulleterton Cove Residents Action Group, Lindsay Clout believes accepting the settlement is the best way forward, and only a small number of residents are agitating for more.
"The concern with most of the residents are, and certainly I am one of those, is that the risk of sending it to court is too great to not accept what's being offered to us at the moment,"he said.
"Going to court could mean many more years of litigation and hundreds of thousands of dollars in costs, and the final settlement - if we won the case, may not very well yield anywhere near the returns that we've been offered right at the moment," Mr Clout said.
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| Fullerton Cove Residents Action Group President Lindsay Clout Picture: Port Stephens Examiner |
