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.
If you registered before 3 October 2025 and have not yet provided your identification documentation, bank details or have outstanding information in your registration/s, please contact Shine Lawyers:
If you have already been told by Shine Lawyers that your registration/s have been transferred to Deloitte (the Administrator) for final assessment, please contact Deloitte directly about your registrations:
A settlement of the Northern Territory Stolen Wages Class Action was approved by the Federal Court of Australia on 14 November 2024.
On this date, the Federal Court also appointed Julia Kaye, David Orr and Sal Algeri of Deloitte to administer the Settlement Distribution Scheme. Their role is to determine who is an eligible registrant, how much money each registrant will receive and when payments will be made.
For more information about the settlement administration, please direct all enquiries to Deloitte (the Administrator):
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:
there must be 7 or more people that have claims against the same defendant; and
the claims relate to the same or similar circumstances; and
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.
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.
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.