Published • loading... • Updated
Australian miner Fortescue to pay $108 million for damage to Indigenous group's land
Justice Stephen Burley found Fortescue liable for $150 million in cultural loss and $150,000 in economic loss after mining Yindjibarndi land without consent.
- On Tuesday, Federal Court Justice Stephen Burley ordered Fortescue Metals Group to pay the Yindjibarndi people $150 million for cultural loss and $150,000 for economic loss, concluding an 18-year legal battle over mining on Indigenous land.
- The Yindjibarndi Ngurra Aboriginal Corporation initiated legal action after Fortescue built the Solomon Hub mine without their consent, seeking $1.8 billion in compensation for cultural and economic losses.
- Justice Burley acknowledged the Yindjibarndi have a "deep and visceral connection" to their land; FMG documents indicate 240 heritage sites were damaged or destroyed, with artefacts removed and stored remotely.
- Yindjibarndi elder Wendy Hubert described the payout as "peanuts" compared to Fortescue's immense earnings, expressing disappointment the record award fell short of their $1.8 billion claim.
- Author Paul Cleary said the decision will have "far-reaching implications for the entire system of agreement making between developers and Indigenous communities," setting precedent for future land rights negotiations.
Insights by Ground AI
35 Articles
35 Articles
Fortescue is required to pay more than $100 million to an Aboriginal group for cultural harm.
·Montreal, Canada
Read Full Article
The activities of the Fortescue industry group ransacked some 124 classified Aboriginal heritage sites.
The Yindjibarndi, an Indigenous people from the remote north of Western Australia, have been awarded the largest compensation ever for the violation of their land rights.
·Netherlands (Kingdom of the)
Read Full Article
Coverage Details
Total News Sources35
Leaning Left10Leaning Right8Center8Last UpdatedBias Distribution38% Left
Bias Distribution
- 38% of the sources lean Left
38% Left
L 38%
C 31%
R 31%
Factuality
To view factuality data please Upgrade to Premium
