Indigenous Australians win record A$150m after billionaire mined without permission
Summary
Indigenous Australians from the Yindjibarndi group have won a record A$150.1 million payout after a court found that billionaire Andrew Forrest’s mining company, Fortescue, mined iron ore on their land without permission. The payment is the largest native title compensation ever granted in Australia and covers both economic losses and cultural damage.Key Facts
- The Yindjibarndi people were awarded A$150.1 million after a legal battle with Fortescue.
- Fortescue is owned by billionaire Andrew Forrest and operates mines in Australia’s Pilbara region.
- Since 2013, Fortescue has made billions mining iron ore on Yindjibarndi land.
- The Yindjibarndi group originally sought A$1.8 billion in compensation.
- The court recognized both economic loss (A$150,000) and cultural loss (A$150 million).
- The cultural loss relates to the loss of connection and spiritual ties to the land.
- The dispute began after a 2017 ruling gave the Yindjibarndi exclusive native title rights over a 2,700 sq km area.
- Fortescue had government and some local approval but not from the native title holders, leading to nearly 20 years of legal conflict.
- The mines are expected to keep operating until around the mid-2040s.
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