Mining giant Adani has bankrupted an indigenous traditional owner opposed to its central Queensland coal mine in a bid to make him pay $600,000 in legal costs.
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Self-represented Wangan and Jagalingou man Adrian Burragubba wasn't present in the Brisbane Federal Court on Thursday to hear the order pass.
His property will now be shackled until the debt arising from his numerous failed court actions to stop the Galilee Basin project is paid.
Registrar Katie Lynch backdated the bankruptcy to December 10, the day Adani served court documents on Mr Burragubba while he was performing in Brisbane's Queen Street Mall.
Adani has previously defended seeking costs from Mr Burragubba as justified because courts have repeatedly ruled he has "no case".
He represents a minority of Wangan and Jagalingou people in opposing the mine, with traditional owners voting 294-to-one in favour of the land use agreement, Adani has said.
At his last court appearance, in July, Mr Burragubba said the Indian miner's bankruptcy bid was an attempt to silence his opposition to the project.
It follows the court case to hear Mr Burragubba's claim that the land-use agreement between his people and Adani was invalid because the company failed to explain that once native title was relinquished, it cannot be reclaimed.
He lost the case and was ordered by the Federal Court to pay costs last year.
Australian Associated Press
