Woodside and Traditional Owners $303 million apart on Pilbara compensation
Woodside and the Ngarluma Yinjibrandi Foundation stalled talks over a $303 million gap in compensation for Pilbara land use.
Negotiations between Woodside and the Ngarluma Yinjibrandi Foundation Limited (NYFL) over compensation for Traditional Owners' land in Western Australia's Pilbara region have stalled. Woodside offered $87 million over 12 years in May, while the NYFL sought $390 million, leaving a gap of $303 million.
Sources told SBS News these were the numbers being discussed. The talks aim to update a 1998 agreement.
Under that deal, the NYFL receives funding for community programs but no royalties from resources extracted. The NYFL argues the agreement is no longer fit for purpose.
Resources companies have made billions from the region, yet many Aboriginal people living there are worse off than before mining and gas expansion. Woodside says it is proud of its relationship with the NYFL and has delivered significant benefits.
Neither party has commented on the figures or the status of negotiations.
- $87 million over 12 years
- Woodside's offer
- $390 million
- NYFL sought
- $303 million
- Compensation gap
- 1998
- Previous agreement
Why it mattersThe compensation gap reflects tensions between resource companies and Indigenous communities over fair sharing of wealth from traditional lands and the limits of community-only funding.
AustraliaThis negotiation sets a test case for how Australian energy giants compensate Traditional Owners for resource extraction, potentially influencing future agreements across the sector.
✓ Claims checked against the source. checked 1 h ago
