GOOD luck to the poor residents of Wallsend and Waratah, along with Wallsend Diggers, in their interactions and dealings with the 'new' Mine Subsidence Advisory ('Residents waiting for street to get all-clear', Newcastle Herald 29/3). Having had years of dealing with the old Mine Subsidence Board and mostly positive outcomes, I can categorically say that my dealings with this new Mine Subsidence Advisory left me in a very dark place.
I believe the bottom line of Mine Subsidence Advisory is to offer what most would consider a paltry monetary compensation, leaving the resident to source their own tradespeople to rectify the problem and then to sign a waiver to make no further claims in the future. This was not the way that the compensation fund for old mine workings and subsequent subsidence issues was set up or how it worked.
