Class action likely over horse flu

The final report into how horse flu entered Australia will be handed to Federal Agriculture Minister Tony Burke today.

But even before it's tabled in parliament, a class action against Government agencies looks likely.

After six months and 80,000 documents, the horse flu inquiry has ended with Commissioner Ian Callinan delivering his single volume on time to the government.
But legal proceedings are far from over.
Partner with lawyers Atwood Marshall, Jeff Garrett, who represented livestock transporters and farriers in the inquiry, says he is ready to file a class action for 350 clients who suffered loss after the outbreak.
"We've been working very hard to asemble the various components of their claims, so that we are ready to proceed as soon as the findings are handed down by the inquiry," he said.
Interim recommendations from the Commissioner have already put the Commonwealth on notice that its entire quarantine system is facing a major shake-up.
It is not known if, or when, Mr Burke will make public the inquiry's final report. Click here to read the full story