Extension of time - deceased Claimants and new deadline for documents approved by Federal Court
The Federal Court has extended the time for claimants and registered representatives to provide claim data to the administrators to 5.00pm on 9 October 2020. His Honour Justice Murphy made the order on 8 September 2020 and a copy of the order and updated settlement distribution scheme are available under the DOCUMENTS tab.
Claimants and registered representatives now have extra time to provide their address, bank account details and identity verification document (photo ID) to the Stolen Wages Information Centre. The list of suitable identity verification documents can be found under the FAQ tab. If an address, bank account details and identity verification document (photo ID) are not provided to support a claim a claimant or registered representative may not receive a payment.
Most claimants and registered representatives have already provided their claim data. The administrators will be writing to and contacting those that haven't to tell them that they have until 9 October 2020 to provide any missing claim data, such as address, bank account details and identity verification (photo ID).
Some Claimants that registered a claim before 21 November 2019 have unfortunately passed away and they did not have a will. The Federal Court has amended the Stolen Wages Settlement Distribution Scheme to allow a living spouse (husband or wife), or if there is no living spouse, a living child to register to continue the claim of the deceased Claimant. No other relatives are eligible to register to continue such a claim. A living spouse or living child, if there is no living spouse, must complete a Continuing registration form - deceased Claimant, which is available under the DOCUMENTS tab, and send it and supporting documents to the Stolen Wages Information Centre before 5.00pm on 9 October 2020.
The Federal Court did not extend the time for the payments to eligible claimants and registered representatives and the administrators still expect to make payments by 6 December 2020.
Claimants and registered representatives now have extra time to provide their address, bank account details and identity verification document (photo ID) to the Stolen Wages Information Centre. The list of suitable identity verification documents can be found under the FAQ tab. If an address, bank account details and identity verification document (photo ID) are not provided to support a claim a claimant or registered representative may not receive a payment.
Most claimants and registered representatives have already provided their claim data. The administrators will be writing to and contacting those that haven't to tell them that they have until 9 October 2020 to provide any missing claim data, such as address, bank account details and identity verification (photo ID).
Some Claimants that registered a claim before 21 November 2019 have unfortunately passed away and they did not have a will. The Federal Court has amended the Stolen Wages Settlement Distribution Scheme to allow a living spouse (husband or wife), or if there is no living spouse, a living child to register to continue the claim of the deceased Claimant. No other relatives are eligible to register to continue such a claim. A living spouse or living child, if there is no living spouse, must complete a Continuing registration form - deceased Claimant, which is available under the DOCUMENTS tab, and send it and supporting documents to the Stolen Wages Information Centre before 5.00pm on 9 October 2020.
The Federal Court did not extend the time for the payments to eligible claimants and registered representatives and the administrators still expect to make payments by 6 December 2020.
Stolen Wages Information Centre - high telephone call volumes
At times, the Stolen Wages Information Centre experiences high volumes of telephone calls. We apologise if we are unable to immediately answer your call but we return all calls as quickly as possible.
The following information is provided so that you can assist us to help as many people as possible:
1. During busy periods we may not be able to assist you with some matters, such as the following:
2. Please have your bank account details, telephone number, address and email address ready when you call so we can quickly verify your details. You will need to provide these to us as due to privacy we cannot read your registered details out to you over the phone
3. Please turn off radios, music and TVs when calling so we are able to hear you.
4. Please don't use the speaker function on phones as it is difficult to hear if you use this function. Please speak directly and clearly into your phone.
5. We have a zero tolerance to abuse, bullying or threats. Our staff will immediately terminate calls if they experience inappropriate conduct towards them.
The following information is provided so that you can assist us to help as many people as possible:
1. During busy periods we may not be able to assist you with some matters, such as the following:
- Registrations closed on 21 November 2019 and no new claims can be accepted
- All information and identity verification documents to support a claim must be received by 5.00pm on 9 October 2020. This date is unlikely to be extended and there will not be a second round
- Payments will be made before 6 December 2020 and this advice has not changed since 17 January 2020. No early payments will be made
- The amount that will be paid to each person will be calculated in October 2020 (not earlier) and details will be posted to each claimant and registered representative (for deceased claimants). The amount cannot be provided over the telephone
- Payments will be made to a bank account in nearly all cases
- For reasons of privacy we cannot talk to you about someone else's claim
- We cannot accept change of bank account details over the phone. A bank account details form (on this website under the DOCUMENTS tab) must be completed, signed and returned to the Stolen Wages Information Centre by 9 October 2020
- All claimants and registered representatives (for deceased claimants) must provide an identity verification document (photo ID or birth certificate - the list of suitable ID can be found on this website under the FAQ tab) even if you previously provided it to Bottoms English Lawyers
- Details of community visits and the locations of our offices can be found on this website under the CONTACT US tab.
2. Please have your bank account details, telephone number, address and email address ready when you call so we can quickly verify your details. You will need to provide these to us as due to privacy we cannot read your registered details out to you over the phone
3. Please turn off radios, music and TVs when calling so we are able to hear you.
4. Please don't use the speaker function on phones as it is difficult to hear if you use this function. Please speak directly and clearly into your phone.
5. We have a zero tolerance to abuse, bullying or threats. Our staff will immediately terminate calls if they experience inappropriate conduct towards them.
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
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'No, I'm not talking about some employer underpaying their workers.
I am talking about the wages of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians being taken by governments and never paid back' - Nyunggai Warren Mundine. Click here for the full commentary. |
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. |
