The motivation of Adani Mining's decision to launch bankruptcy proceedings against Adrian Burragubba is plain. But the advisability of such a confronting strategy is nothing like as certain.

Burragubba is a leader and assertive spokesperson of the Wangan and Jagalingou People whose traditional lands across a sweep of central-western Queensland include a 2750-hectare patch of country that Adani calls the Carmichael coal project.