19 March 2021

Thousands of Indonesian seaweed farmers have won a long-running case in the Federal Court and stand to gain substantial compensation over Australia’s worst offshore oil spill, which destroyed their crops in 2009. 

... [T]he Federal Court upheld a claim by Daniel Aristabulus Sanda, who led a class action on behalf of 15,000 seaweed farmers in coastal and island areas of West Timor. 

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Federal Court Justice David Yates has ordered the company to pay Mr Sanda almost 253 million rupiah ($22,600) plus interest, for lost income after his seaweed crop was destroyed by the spill. 

He also sought further submissions to help determine how many other seaweed farmers are also entitled to compensation, and how much.  

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... Justice Yates in his judgement said that PTTEP Australasia – an Australian based subsidiary of a Thai national oil company – did owe a duty of care to Mr Sanda and other farmers, and had breached that duty. 

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In a statement posted on their website, PTTEP said it acknowledged the decision but was disappointed with the outcome.

"PTTEP emphasises the judgment relates to Mr Sanda's claim, and that the claims of all the Group Members are statute barred and must be determined separately," the statement said.

"The court's decision does not negate the requirement for individuals to demonstrate their actual loss and damage."

PTTEP said it was considering available avenues of appeal.