[Australia] Historic settlement in Indigenous stolen wages class action

In a historic development, the Western Australian Government has reached a landmark settlement agreement to address the state's longstanding issue of wages stolen from Indigenous Western Australians, NIT reports.

The agreement provides long-overdue compensation to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who worked in Western Australia while receiving little or no wages between 1936 and 1972.

Pending court approval, the settlement is reportedly intended to correct some of the government policies and controls to have a detrimental impact on numerous Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander individuals - particularly those labouring in the Kimberley region, pastoral stations, and native institutions - during this time.

Indigenous peoples in the state were denied fair pay, receiving minimal or no wages for their labour during the claim period.

Commenting on the news, Mirriwong Elder David Newry said he felt mixed emotions after the settlement was reached.

"I'm happy in one way, but in the other way I'm sad to know my people, my parents deserved this (news) more and they're gone now," Mr Newry told the ABC.

Mr Newry reportedly gave evidence on behalf of family members who lived and worked on stations in the east Kimberley, as part of the class action, and found the experience extremely challenging.

"One of the hardest parts for me was talking about my family and how they've been treated," he said to the ABC.

"One of my father's brothers got tied to a tree and got whipped for not hopping on a horse that morning because he was really sick in the stomach.

"That sort of information was really hard to tell."

The Western Australian Government will contribute a total sum of $165 million into an administered fund, under this agreement, with each eligible claimant entitled to a payment of $16,500.

The full $165 million will only be disbursed if there are 10,000 or more eligible claimants.

An additional $15.4 million has reportedly been set aside to cover the assessed legal costs of the applicants.

The specific amount allocated to each eligible claimant will be determined by the Federal Court and take into account the number of eligible claimants and any approved deductions.

When he announced the settlement, Western Australian Premier Roger Cook spoke of his satisfaction with the outcome.

"The WA Government has been committed to resolving this matter in the spirit of reconciliation, and I am glad we have been able to now reach a settlement," Mr Cook said.

"It is an important development in recognising the past injustices inflicted on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

"We hope this agreement can contribute to healing for those impacted."

Dr Tony Buti - Aboriginal Affairs Minister - reflected on the significance of the settlement in acknowledging the wrongs of the past.

"Throughout the process, the WA Government has worked with the applicants to resolve the proceeding in a respectful and cooperative way," Dr Buti said.

"This settlement is also an opportunity to acknowledge the valuable contributions that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have made to our State, both past and present."

The distribution process will reportedly begin after a registration procedure, led by Shine Lawyers, whose proposal will be subject to approval by the Federal Court.

Vicky Antzoulatos - Shine Lawyers joint head of class actions - said this outcome was a victory for First Nations peoples.

"Workers and their descendants suffered inter-generational disadvantage because of the legislation in place in Western Australia over many decades," Ms Antzoulatos told the ABC.

"Financial compensation is one way to acknowledge the suffering of First Nations people.

"It doesn't correct the past, but it offers a way forward."

Source: NIT

(Quotes via original reporting)

In a historic development, the Western Australian Government has reached a landmark settlement agreement to address the state's longstanding issue of wages stolen from Indigenous Western Australians, NIT reports.

The agreement provides long-overdue compensation to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who worked in Western Australia while receiving little or no wages between 1936 and 1972.

Pending court approval, the settlement is reportedly intended to correct some of the government policies and controls to have a detrimental impact on numerous Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander individuals - particularly those labouring in the Kimberley region, pastoral stations, and native institutions - during this time.

Indigenous peoples in the state were denied fair pay, receiving minimal or no wages for their labour during the claim period.

Commenting on the news, Mirriwong Elder David Newry said he felt mixed emotions after the settlement was reached.

"I'm happy in one way, but in the other way I'm sad to know my people, my parents deserved this (news) more and they're gone now," Mr Newry told the ABC.

Mr Newry reportedly gave evidence on behalf of family members who lived and worked on stations in the east Kimberley, as part of the class action, and found the experience extremely challenging.

"One of the hardest parts for me was talking about my family and how they've been treated," he said to the ABC.

"One of my father's brothers got tied to a tree and got whipped for not hopping on a horse that morning because he was really sick in the stomach.

"That sort of information was really hard to tell."

The Western Australian Government will contribute a total sum of $165 million into an administered fund, under this agreement, with each eligible claimant entitled to a payment of $16,500.

The full $165 million will only be disbursed if there are 10,000 or more eligible claimants.

An additional $15.4 million has reportedly been set aside to cover the assessed legal costs of the applicants.

The specific amount allocated to each eligible claimant will be determined by the Federal Court and take into account the number of eligible claimants and any approved deductions.

When he announced the settlement, Western Australian Premier Roger Cook spoke of his satisfaction with the outcome.

"The WA Government has been committed to resolving this matter in the spirit of reconciliation, and I am glad we have been able to now reach a settlement," Mr Cook said.

"It is an important development in recognising the past injustices inflicted on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

"We hope this agreement can contribute to healing for those impacted."

Dr Tony Buti - Aboriginal Affairs Minister - reflected on the significance of the settlement in acknowledging the wrongs of the past.

"Throughout the process, the WA Government has worked with the applicants to resolve the proceeding in a respectful and cooperative way," Dr Buti said.

"This settlement is also an opportunity to acknowledge the valuable contributions that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have made to our State, both past and present."

The distribution process will reportedly begin after a registration procedure, led by Shine Lawyers, whose proposal will be subject to approval by the Federal Court.

Vicky Antzoulatos - Shine Lawyers joint head of class actions - said this outcome was a victory for First Nations peoples.

"Workers and their descendants suffered inter-generational disadvantage because of the legislation in place in Western Australia over many decades," Ms Antzoulatos told the ABC.

"Financial compensation is one way to acknowledge the suffering of First Nations people.

"It doesn't correct the past, but it offers a way forward."

Source: NIT

(Quotes via original reporting)