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Northern Territory Stolen Wages Class Action

This class action was brought on behalf of thousands of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in the Northern Territory whose wages were withheld or not paid because of wage control legislation that existed between 1933 until 1971.

Register for settlement

Settlement Approved

On 14 November 2024, the Federal Court of Australia approved the settlement reached between the lead applicant and the Commonwealth Government for up to $202 million (including some costs) to settle the Northern Territory Stolen Wages Class Action.

How to register for the Northern Territory Stolen Wages Class Action

You must register to be considered to receive compensation monies.

To register for the Northern Territory Stolen Wages Class Action settlement, please use the button below. To register over the phone, you can free call us on 1800 860 378.

The Registration Process will continue until 31 August 2025.

Register for settlement

You are a part of the class action if:

a) You are an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander person; and

b) You were born before 12 November 1961;  and

c) You worked in the Northern Territory between 1 June 1933 and 12 November 1971 for little or no wages; or

d) You are the spouse (husband, wife or partner – married or defacto) or the child of a person who fits a), b) and c) above and has passed away. 

The role of Shine moving forward is to help group members complete and sign their registration forms.

Free drop-in registration sessions 

Come along to free drop-in registration sessions across the Northern Territory where you and your family can register in person for the NT Stolen Wages Class Action Settlement. 

Registration session dates and locations can be found by clicking on the button below.  

Find out more

Settlement Administration

Shine Lawyers are not responsible for deciding who gets paid compensation. This decision is made by the Court appointed independent Administrator, Deloitte. Deloitte will decide who is an eligible registrant, how much money each registrant will receive and when payments will be made.

Deloitte has commenced this process. We will notify registrants when their registration information has been provided to Deloitte.

For more information on the settlement administration, please visit Deloitte’s website at: www.NTStolenWages.deloitte.com.au 

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a class action?

When Governments, large companies or institutions do the wrong thing and people are harmed or suffer loss as a result, an individual can have little to no means of bringing a legal claim.

Class actions are an important mechanism within Australia’s legal system that allow large groups of people to come together to pursue a claim collectively.

For a class action to take place, there are three criteria that need to be met:

  1. there must be 7 or more people that have claims against the same defendant; and

  2. the claims relate to the same or similar circumstances; and

  3. the claim must relate to at least one common issue of law or fact.

For more information about how class actions resolve, click here.

How long do class actions take to resolve?

It can take up to several years for a class action to resolve. The time taken from case commencement through to resolution and settlement administration depends on the particular case, and the nature of the claim.

For more information about class actions and how they work, click here.

Does it cost anything to join a class action?

Shine Lawyers is committed to ensuring that everyone, regardless of their background or financial situation, has access to justice. We run our class actions in a way that means you are not exposed to any costs or financial risk, so joining a class action will cost you nothing.

When a class action is successful, the legal fees and costs to run the class action are deducted from the settlement amount that is approved by the Court. If the class action is unsuccessful, we will ensure there are no out-of-pocket costs to you.

Will my contact details be kept private?

Yes, your contact details will remain confidential and we will seek your consent before disclosing any of your personal information (including before such disclosure is required by the Court).

Shine Lawyers will only use your personal information strictly for the purpose of the legal proceedings.

Meet the Northern Territory Stolen Wages Class Action team

Shine Lawyers’ Northern Territory Stolen Wages Class Action team includes some of the firm’s most experienced litigators, solicitors and support staff. You can learn more about the team running this class action by clicking on their profile below.

Why Choose Shine Lawyers?

$1B

In successful settlements and judgments

We have secured more than $1 billion in class action settlements and judgments for our group members. 

See our past class actions
200

years of collective experience

Our team includes the country’s most experienced class actions experts and litigators with the skill, industry insight and dedication to deliver the best possible outcomes for deserving Australians.

70+

dedicated class actions team members

We are proudly one of the largest class actions teams in the country.  Our senior practitioners are supported by a dedicated team devoted to the complex field of class actions.

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Shine Lawyers acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of the Country throughout Australia and their connections to land, waterways and community. We pay our respects to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures; and to Elders past, present and emerging.

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