Bitter Dunstan by-election gets nastier as extraordinary political firestorms erupt over candidates’ business histories

One of the state’s most bitter by-election campaigns has deepened after multiple political firestorms erupted about the two major party candidates’ business backgrounds.

Cressida O'Hanlon talking to the media outside the High Street Cafe in Kensington, ahead of a reduction in electricity pricing, Tuesday, March 19, 2024. Picture: Matt Loxton

One of the state’s most bitter by-election campaigns has deepened after multiple political firestorms erupted about the two major party candidates’ business backgrounds.

Labor’s Cressida O’Hanlon, 51, is vying for political history with a win in Saturday’s Dunstan poll against Liberal opponent Anna Finizio, 37.

But as both women battling for the state’s most marginal electorate criticised “mudslinging”, their parties last night launched a new war of words about the candidates’ business backgrounds.

Labor Party candidate Cressida O’Hanlon at a pre-polling booth in Beulah Park this week with a supporter. Picture: Brett Hartwig

Federal Trade Minister Don Farrell was also forced to deny to federal parliament that his office had any “contact” with Citadel Secure, an embattled business Ms O’Hanlon’s husband, James, 50, owns, as he criticised “grubby” Liberals.

The state Liberals intensified attacks on Ms O’Hanlon’s integrity as they again questioned if lobbing laws had been breached, noting the defence’s company’s profiles and an email between the couple.

The Opposition released legal advice, from barrister Simon Ower KC, who outlined why a lobbyists register of those influencing public policy was an “important integrity issue” and breaches “serious”.

Ms O’Hanlon denied lobbying on behalf of her husband, James, or his company Citadel Secure. Picture: Brett Hartwig

The advice, which Liberal aides refused to reveal the cost of, did not name the couple but it was obtained with the crisis in mind, officials said.

A Liberal Party spokeswoman said Citadel Secure was not listed on the lobbyists register, which was required under state law if it was engaging in such practice - claims Labor denied.

Cressida O'Hanlon with husband James at the South Australian Premier's Business and Export Awards 2023 Gala Dinner, at which Citadel Secure was a finalist. Picture: LinkedIn

“This explosive legal advice raises yet another tranche of unanswered questions for Labor over their dealings with Citadel Secure,” she said.

“Email correspondence involving (Ms) O’Hanlon suggests that Citadel Secure was pitching foreign aid technology on behalf of a third party.”

A Labor spokesman said Ms O’Hanlon had repeatedly denied lobbying ministers on behalf of her husband’s business or the firm was a lobbyist.

“It’s not surprising the Liberal Party has sought a lawyer’s opinion about how the Lobbyist Act works, because it’s clear they have no idea,” he said.

“(The) claims to the contrary are false, defamatory, and designed to mislead the public.”

In a statement Ms O’Hanlon, a mother of four who lost to former Premier Steven Marshall, 56, at the 2022 poll by 260 votes, said: “The Liberals’ latest attempt to attack me falls over at the first hurdle for one simple reason: I have not undertaken any lobbying.

“It is disappointing to see the Liberal Party continuing to attack small business,” she said.

Her war veteran husband did not respond to inquiries.

But Ms O’Hanlon, a former part-time adviser for upper house MP Reggie Martin, has denied being a Citadel “senior associate” despite a now deleted company website listing and has rejected lobbying claims.

SA Liberal Party Leader David Speirs and Dr Anna Finizio. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Morgan Sette

In state parliament, Transport Minister Tom Koutsantonis claimed Dr Finizio had falsely signed a statutory declaration about not being a director of a failed company at any time.

Dr Finizio, a former political adviser, was director of a family business between 2009 and 2017 two years before it plunged into administration with debts of more than $22m.

But Mr Koutsantonis used parliamentary privilege to claim she would be ineligible if elected to parliament and police were “open” to police to investigate making a “false statement”.

The Liberals said his attack showed “the Labor Party is a boys club that even their own female Ministers admit is a toxic culture”.