Fortescue ordered to pay Yindjibarndi A$150M

An Australian Federal Court ordered Fortescue (company) to pay A$150.1 million in compensation to the Yindjibarndi people people for mining on their traditional lands without permission. This landmark decision, delivered by Justice Stephen K. Burley, is the largest native title payout in Australian history. The compensation includes A$150,000 for economic loss and A$150 million for cultural loss, acknowledging the 'deep and visceral connection' the Yindjibarndi people have to their land. Fortescue (company)'s Solomon Hub mines, which have generated tens of billions in revenue since 2013, destroyed 124 Indigenous heritage sites and restricted access to over 135 square kilometers of Yindjibarndi people land. The Yindjibarndi Ngurra Aboriginal Corporation (YNAC) had sought A$1.8 billion, and while the awarded amount is significantly less, it is nearly three times larger than the previous record payout. The ruling concludes an almost two-decade-long legal battle and highlights ongoing issues of Indigenous land rights and corporate responsibility in Australia.