Indigenous Australians Win Record A$150m After Mining Without Permission
A federal court ordered a billionaire to pay A$150 million to an Indigenous community after mining on sacred land without permission. The ruling is the largest compensation ever awarded over Indigenous land rights in the country.
The ruling came after a decade-long legal battle and favoured the Yindjibarndi community in the Pilbara region. The court calculated a share of the iron ore company's 2008-2018 profits as compensation and also factored in spiritual harm.
In the ruling, the judge said the breach of Australia's Native Title Act had caused not just economic but also cultural loss. The company's lawyers said the decision would be appealed. The Australian government welcomed the development and announced plans to tighten regulations on the mining sector.
The case sets a precedent for future negotiations between Australian mining companies and Indigenous communities. The Mineral Council of Australia said the industry was in a transition toward genuine cooperation with traditional owners. The Pilbara region produces around 90 percent of Australia's iron ore, and similar suits are expected to increase.
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