30 November 2020
A final decision followed the proposal
The High Court’s chronology records the final outsourcing decision on 27 November 2020 and its public announcement on 30 November. The August headline captured an earlier proposal; the later legal finding concerned the decision that was made.
13 September 2023
The outsourcing decision was unlawful
The High Court dismissed Qantas’s appeal. The finding concerned adverse action taken to prevent the future exercise of workplace rights under the Fair Work Act. It was a civil employment-law dispute, not a criminal conviction. Outsourcing in general was not prohibited by this judgment.
High Court judgment · 13 September 2023 · Independent penalty report · ABC · 18 August 2025
17 December 2024
A compensation fund was agreed
Qantas and the TWU agreed a $120 million fund for 1,820 affected former employees. The agreement included economic and non-economic loss, compensation to the union and administration costs. In August 2025, Qantas said it had paid the money into the fund. Funding the scheme did not establish that every individual assessment or payment was complete. The airline accepted the later penalty decision and apologised to affected employees and their families.
Compensation agreement · Qantas · 17 December 2024 · Penalty and funded compensation · Qantas · 18 August 2025 · Compensation scheme · Maurice Blackburn
18 August 2025
The penalty was separate
The Federal Court imposed a $90 million penalty. It directed $50 million to the TWU; the remaining $40 million was subsequently reserved for workers. These figures divide one penalty, rather than adding two further penalties. This worker share was separate from the compensation scheme.
Independent penalty report · ABC · 18 August 2025 · Federal Court distribution orders · 6 August 2026, as amended · Penalty payment update · William Roberts · 7 September 2026
6 August 2026
Distribution no longer awaited compensation assessments
The court ordered a process for distributing the remaining penalty fund using workers’ length of service. The orders expressly preserved compensation entitlements: a penalty payment was not conditional on signing a release or receiving compensation. Confidential worker schedules, bank details and individual amounts are not reproduced here.
Federal Court distribution orders · 6 August 2026, as amended
4 September 2026
Most penalty payments were processed
William Roberts Lawyers’ update dated 7 September says the court processed payments to a majority of affected workers on 4 September. It described further arrangements for remaining payments. The firm said compensation assessments continued, with estimated notices expected around October 2026. That was an expectation, not confirmation that all compensation had been paid.
Penalty payment update · William Roberts · 7 September 2026 · Federal Court distribution orders · 6 August 2026, as amended
The evidence
Sources for this update
- 01High Court judgment · 13 September 2023
- 02Compensation agreement · Qantas · 17 December 2024
- 03Penalty and funded compensation · Qantas · 18 August 2025
- 04Independent penalty report · ABC · 18 August 2025
- 05Federal Court distribution orders · 6 August 2026, as amended
- 06Penalty payment update · William Roberts · 7 September 2026
- 07Compensation scheme · Maurice Blackburn
Where the story stands
The story continues when the evidence does.
Status checked on 10 October 2026. This account covers ground-handling litigation and the September payment update. It does not establish that every worker received money or that the compensation process has finished. Other Qantas passenger, wage and industrial disputes are separate.