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The man who took the fight to Andrew 'Twiggy' Forrest
Description
The Federal Court has ordered Andrew Forrest’s Fortescue to pay the Yindjibarndi people $150.1 million.
It is the biggest native title compensation payout in Australian history.
But for Yindjibarndi leaders, the judgment is complicated. The payout is historic, but it is far below the $1.8 billion they were seeking.
The case goes back more than two decades – to Fortescue’s Solomon Hub mines in the Pilbara, which were built on Yindjibarndi land without the agreement of the traditional owners.
And the payout includes only about $100,000 for economic loss, despite Fortescue making billions from the mines.
Journalist Ben Abbatangelo tells the story of Michael Woodley – the Yindjibarndi lawman who took on Andrew Forrest – and asks: what is the true cost of mining someone else’s Country?
This episode was originally published in May 2024.
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Guest: Ben Abbatangelo
Photo: AAP Image/Richard Wainwright
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