Victoria
Fortescue appeals record native title compensation award
Fortescue has joined the Western Australian government and traditional owners in appealing a record Federal Court native title compensation ruling.
Fortescue, the iron ore mining group founded by billionaire businessman Andrew Forrest, has officially lodged an appeal against a landmark Federal Court decision that awarded $150.3 million in native title compensation to traditional owners.
According to reporting by the wire service, Fortescue is the third key group to appeal the record-breaking compensation order. The compensation was originally awarded to the Yindjibarndi people for the impacts of mining activity on their traditional lands in Western Australia.
The move by the mining giant follows earlier filings by both the Yindjibarndi people and the Western Australian state government, who have both lodged filings of their own. All three major parties involved in the case have now sought to challenge the Federal Court's compensation ruling, which represents a significant milestone in Australian native title history.
Specific details of the arguments contained in the new appeals have not been publicly disclosed, and the precise legal grounds upon which Fortescue, the Western Australian government, and the Yindjibarndi people are appealing remain unconfirmed. At this stage, the Federal Court has not yet scheduled a date to hear the challenges.
The final resolution of these three appeals will be highly anticipated by both the resource sector and Indigenous groups across the country, as the case is expected to establish an important legal precedent for future native title compensation claims.
We will be watching to see when the Federal Court schedules the initial hearings for the three competing appeals.
This report draws on original reporting by Wire report.
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