Uber has agreed to pay A$271.8 million ($178.3 million; £140 million) to settle a lawsuit in Australia, as confirmed by a law firm representing taxi operators and drivers.

The class action, filed by Maurice Blackburn Lawyers on behalf of over 8,000 taxi and hire car owners and drivers, alleged income losses due to Uber’s aggressive expansion in the country.

“Uber fought tooth and nail at every point along the way,” stated the law firm.

Uber responded, stating, “Since 2018, Uber has made significant contributions into various state-level taxi compensation schemes, and with today’s proposed settlement, we put these legacy issues firmly in our past.”

The company refrained from disclosing the exact settlement amount, stating, “It would be inappropriate to comment on specifics until the agreement is finalized and the settlement is disclosed to the court.”

The class action against Uber was initiated in 2019 in the Supreme Court of Australia’s Victoria state.

“This case succeeded where so many others have failed. In Victoria, Queensland, and Western Australia, cases were brought against governments and all of them failed,” remarked Maurice Blackburn principal lawyer Michael Donelly.

“What our group members asked for was not another set of excuses – but an outcome – and today we have delivered it for them,” he added.

However, before any payout can be made, the court must approve the proposed settlement as being in the best interests of group members.

San Francisco-based Uber, established in 2009, operates in approximately 70 countries and over 10,000 cities worldwide. It has encountered protests by taxi drivers in various cities globally over the years.

In December 2023, the company emerged victorious in a lawsuit brought by 2,500 taxi drivers in France. A Paris commercial court ruled that Uber had not engaged in acts of unfair competition. The taxi drivers had sought €455 million ($495.4 million; £389 million).