Brisbane flood victims eye class action after Queensland inquiry's interim report

A GROUP of 120 flood-hit Brisbane property owners are weighing a class action after a report into January's floods opened a potential legal avenue.

Ken Madsen, of Flood Affected Businesses and Householders, says he's yet to study the Queensland Floods Commission of Inquiry's interim report.

But he hopes the finding that Wivenhoe Dam operators breached the manual might help a class action.

The report, released yesterday, found engineers in charge of the dam during the floods did not use the best available forecast information when deciding how much water to release.

Mr Madsen said he hoped this was something flood victims could launch legal action on.

"The flood inquiry has allowed the data to be made available which is something we've been struggling to get a straight answer on ever since the floods," the industrial real estate agent from flood-hit Rocklea told AAP.

"We will review the data and seek legal advice."

As well as compensating flood victims, a successful class action would hold bureaucrats accountable, and help insurance claims, Mr Madsen said.

"It seems that the only time bureaucrats take any notice of any changes is when they've been forced to legally," he said.

"The class action will be one way of making them wake up to their responsibilities and accountabilities.

"The class action will also highlight to insurance companies and others that whilst we were affected and damaged, it wasn't our fault and it wasn't necessarily where we were that was the problem."

He said any successful action would also give flood victims some closure.

"The buildings can be repaired and fixed relatively easily," he said.

"But the loss of confidence and the psychological damage to people, the sleepless nights ... that's immeasurable."

Maurice Blackburn lawyers is representing 78 individuals or families at the flood commission as part of the Fernvale and Surrounding Communities Action Group.

The firm's Queensland principal Rod Hodgson said he was still examining the findings.

"We will then be in a position to consider a range of legal options for our clients who have suffered property loss and damage, and loss of business revenue and profits," he said.

Premier Anna Bligh today said she was uncertain whether the technical breach opened the possibility of people suing the state, saying it would have to be tested in the courts.