What is the Stolen Wages Class Action?
The Stolen Wages Class Action proceedings claimed that the Queensland “Protection Acts” in force between 1939 and 1972, required that the wages of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander workers to be paid to the protector or superintendent of an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander district, reserve, settlement or mission. The Applicant claimed the monies were paid to the protector or superintendent on “trust”, or subject to a fiduciary duty to act with care and control of the money received. It was claimed the Queensland Government breached its duties as trustee, or its duties as a fiduciary, by failing to repay that money to the workers. Read more here.
Latest news
Community visits - important update
As Queensland communities re-open from the Coronavirus restrictions we are once again visiting communities when we are able to, and when it is safe to do so. Our Yarrabah and Brisbane offices have re-opened and we have already visited Townsville, Cherbourg and Woorabinda.
The dates and locations of our community visits are available on the CONTACT US page on this website. As we confirm new community visits we will add the details to the website, so check regularly to see if and when Stolen Wages Information Centre is coming to your community.
The dates and locations of our community visits are available on the CONTACT US page on this website. As we confirm new community visits we will add the details to the website, so check regularly to see if and when Stolen Wages Information Centre is coming to your community.
Claim statements
Claim statements have now been posted to all claimants and registered representatives of claimants that have passed away. This is a very important document and you will need to read it carefully and in full.
The claim statement is to confirm your details and does not mean that you will receive a payment. Once the details of all registered claims are confirmed we will assess the eligibility of all claims and determine who is eligible to receive a payment.
Please carefully check your claim statement. If any details are incorrect, have changed or are missing, the correct information can be provided by completing the relevant fields on the claim statement, signing the document and returning it to the Stolen Wages Information Centre. If all your details are correct and complete, you do not have to return the claim statement.
****CLOSING DATE for information and supporting documents: 5.00pm on Friday, 28 August 2020.****
By the closing date, claimants and registered representatives will have had more than seven months to provide their information and documents to the Stolen Wages Information Centre. If all required information and documents are not received by the closing date, a claim may not receive a payment. If posting documents, please allow sufficient time for Australia Post to deliver to the Stolen Wages Information Centre before the closing date.
2 June 2020
The claim statement is to confirm your details and does not mean that you will receive a payment. Once the details of all registered claims are confirmed we will assess the eligibility of all claims and determine who is eligible to receive a payment.
Please carefully check your claim statement. If any details are incorrect, have changed or are missing, the correct information can be provided by completing the relevant fields on the claim statement, signing the document and returning it to the Stolen Wages Information Centre. If all your details are correct and complete, you do not have to return the claim statement.
****CLOSING DATE for information and supporting documents: 5.00pm on Friday, 28 August 2020.****
By the closing date, claimants and registered representatives will have had more than seven months to provide their information and documents to the Stolen Wages Information Centre. If all required information and documents are not received by the closing date, a claim may not receive a payment. If posting documents, please allow sufficient time for Australia Post to deliver to the Stolen Wages Information Centre before the closing date.
2 June 2020
Stolen Wages administrators |
Bottoms English Lawyers in Cairns represented Mr Hans Pearson in the Stolen Wages Class Action and have been appointed by the Federal Court as the lawyers for the Settlement Distribution Scheme, the document that sets out how the Stolen Wages settlement monies are to be paid.
The Federal Court on 17 January 2020 also appointed Anthony Beven and Tony Jonsson from Grant Thornton Australia in Cairns to administer the Settlement Distribution Scheme. Their role is to distribute the Stolen Wages settlement monies to eligible claimants. Grant Thornton is one of the world's leading independent accounting, audit, tax and advisory firms. It has more than 1,300 people working in offices in Cairns, Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney. Please contact Grant Thornton's Stolen Wages Information Centre (Contact Us) if you have any questions about the Settlement Distribution Scheme. |
