Queensland has agreed to settle claim on behalf of 10,000 Indigenous workers whose wages were handed to the state between 1939 to 1972

This article is more than 1 year old

This article is more than 1 year old

Tens of thousands of Indigenous Australians could be eligible to join planned class actions over wages taken by the government under the same Protection Act that created the stolen generations.

Shine Lawyers said the firm was well advanced with investigations into the planned actions in Western Australia, the Northern Territory and New South Wales, and planned to launch them shortly.

It comes a day after the Queensland government agreed to settle a claim on behalf of an estimated 10,000 Indigenous workers whose wages were handed to the state between 1939 to 1972.

Indigenous workers receive $190m stolen wages settlement from Queensland government Read more

Under the so-called Protection Act, Indigenous workers including stockmen, farmhands, laundry assistants, kitchen staff and domestic workers had their wages held in trust accounts and, in some cases, never released.

Jan Saddler, Shine’s head of litigation and loss recovery, said the struggling labourers could not do things like buy a house or enjoy the lifestyle even low-income white people had at the time.

“If any of us had our wages withheld by another party ... I think we’d be fairly outraged,” Saddler said.

The law firm’s representatives are nearing the end of a roadshow gathering stories, and Saddler said the staggering injustice was clearly burned in memories.

After many decades, those affected clearly recalled when and where they worked, and how much they were ripped off.

“When you hear the stories, frankly you’re shocked,” Saddler said. “Every story is different but it all has the same outcome ... sub-standard entitlements.”

The planned class actions are expected to involve many elderly people and also relatives of deceased workers.

The lead applicant in the Queensland case, Hans Pearson, is aged 80 while about 60% of claims were for dead people.

The settlement followed a 12-year legal process and is said to be the fifth-largest of its kind in Australian history.

Pearson, uncle of Noel Pearson, argued the state government breached its duties as a trustee and fiduciary by withholding the wages.

The government made unauthorised withdrawals and welfare fund deductions.

In making the announcement, state minister for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander partnerships, Jackie Trad, said the government would work with ageing applicants to “progress the settlement in an expedient manner”.

The former premier Peter Beattie estimated about $500m was stolen from Indigenous people in Queensland.