Adani uses Facebook to slap traditional owner with bankruptcy

Mining giant Adani has been given the green light to serve bankruptcy documents on a traditional land owner who fought its controversial Carmichael mine via social media, email, text message and his post office box, rather than in person.

MINING giant Adani has been given the green light to serve bankruptcy documents on a traditional land owner who fought to stop its $2 billion Carmichael mine via his Facebook account, email, text message and his post office box.

In the Federal Court today, Registrar Michael Buckingham ordered that service of the creditors petition on Wangan and Jagalingou traditional owner and lead spokesman Adrian Burragubba, from Woolloongabba, could be done by mail instead of in person.

Adrian Burragubba from the Wangan and Jagalingou traditional owners group. File picture: Darren England/AAP

Adani’s lawyers had earlier told the court that they had tried but failed to find Mr Burragubba at an unspecified residential address.

Residents of the home told a process server that they knew of Mr Burragubba but he did not live there, the court heard.

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The company alleges that Mr Burragubba owes them $637,960 after the Federal Court and the Court of Appeal ordered he pay legal costs of failed fights against the miner.

Adani alleges that it served him with a bankruptcy notice on November 17 but he failed to pay by December 8 last year.

Mr Buckingham ordered the creditors petition be served on Mr Burragubba via his post office box in Woolloongabba, his lawyers - Just Us Lawyers in Kelvin Grove - to his Facebook account, by SMS message and to his email address.

The case has been running since December 19 and has had six hearings in court with little progress achieved.

Outside court Adani has reportedly said it will donate the cash to charity.

The case was adjourned for hearing on July 10.

Originally published as Adani uses Facebook to slap traditional owner with bankruptcy