A Federal Court judge criticises delays in delivering compensation to Qantas employees who were illegally sacked during the COVID-19 pandemic and orders a new plan to distribute the money. Reports say the court addresses concerns about the time taken by the scheme administrator to calculate, process, and pay amounts owed under the compensation scheme. The judge’s comments include criticism of what is described as “unfair” delay, prompting court intervention. Multiple outlets report that the judge releases close to $40 million in compensation to eligible workers, with figures also described as $35 million in earlier context about the total owed. The decision includes directions aimed at improving how payments are handled going forward, following the delays. The accounts indicate the court action is intended to ensure affected workers receive their entitlements more promptly and that the administrator produces a revised approach for the remaining payments. The reports consistently frame the matter as court scrutiny of the administration timeline and an order to reset the process.