The Western Australian government will pay $180.4 million to settle a three-year class action dispute over wages stolen from thousands of Aboriginal people working in the state from the 1930s to 1970s, but not everyone impacted by the wage theft has joined the class action.
The settlement was announced last November.
The class action was brought on behalf of the thousands of Indigenous people in Western Australia whose wages were unjustly withheld or not paid as a result of wage control legislation in effect until 1972.
Shine Lawyers, who represented the claimants, have called for people impacted by the historic wage theft to contact them to pursue the compensation they are owed.
Those who wish to participate in the settlement of the class action must complete a registration form by 30 June 2024 to be considered for compensation.
Shine will have visited more than 200 communities throughout WA between November 2023 and June 2024, talking to Aboriginal workers and their families about the settlement and helping them register for compensation money. A list of upcoming sessions is available online.
Currently, Shine Law Firm are visiting communities in the East Kimberley and Central Kimberley and expect that a proposed list of visits to the West Kimberley will begin some time in May.
