The Forrest Family

The Forrests’ wealth stems from Fortescue Metals Group (FMG), which Andrew Forrest founded in 2003.

Fortescue’s large-scale mining has disrupted ecosystems and destroyed sacred Indigenous sites in the Pilbara region. The company has been embroiled in long-standing legal battles with traditional owners, the Yindjibarndi people, having failed to obtain consent for mining operations on their land. Even after the Federal Court of Australia’s ruling in favour of the Yindjibarndi people which recognised exclusive native title rights in 2017, the Yindjibarndi people have had to continue fighting Forrest’s mining empire. These ongoing disputes have created rifts in the community that “may never heal”.

In 2021, Andrew Forrest was praised for pivoting towards hydrogen production through Fortescue Future Industries (FFI). The announcement of Fortescue’s shift towards green energy was made only months after the company was forced to apologise to the Wintawar Guruma people for clearing another sacred Aboriginal site in the Weelamurra Creek area. Despite its promises of ethical business practices, Fortescue still plans to use 150,000 hectares of land — an area “twice the size of Singapore” — across the Pilbara, setting its sights on monopolising the green energy industry.

Fortescue has been investigated for multiple incidents of corporate exploitation. Inadequate workplace safety measures have resulted in employee deaths, while a mental health crisis among workers due to harsh working conditions in remote mining sites prompted a parliamentary inquiry in 2015. Lawsuits have also been filed against the company in regards to sexual harassment claims.

Ironically, Andrew Forrest has criticised governments and other companies for dragging their feet on the issues of green energy and fair work. The incongruity of his outspokenness on these issues versus his business ventures, however, has been met with cynicism. Although Fortescue appears to have made efforts to clean up its act in recent years through its modern slavery policy, for instance, Forrest’s profit-driven decisions are evidenced by his track record of cost-cutting at the expense of workers, as well as his business dealings with countries known for being “slavery hot spots”. In particular, Forrest has looked to secure deals with the governments of mineral-rich countries with particularly poor human rights records, such as Afghanistan and the Democratic Republic of Congo, in his ambition to become a global green energy superpower.

Despite their divorce in 2023, Nicola and Andrew Forrest continued to invest together in the Minderoo Foundation, which they established in 2001. There is an inherent irony also present in many of the Minderoo Foundation’s initiatives, as these initiatives seem to be directly offset by the Forrests’ business activities. Some of the most controversial, for instance, include the Walk Free program, which aims to eradicate modern slavery, and the Generation One program, which aims to “close the gap” in indigenous employment outcomes. In 2024, Nicola and Andrew Forrest announced they would step down from directing the foundation, but would remain as non-executive directors.

The Minderoo Foundation has long supported many arts organisations in Western Australia. It continues to donate significant sums to the Western Australian Symphony Orchestra, and has donated to the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA), WA State Theatre Centre and Black Swan Theatre Company.