Liam Talbot ‘disappointed’ by family estate war overshadowing his late father’s charity wish

An ‘ostracised’ Liam Talbot has spoken of his disappointment that his feuding family couldn’t put their ‘minuscule differences’ aside to honour his late mining magnate father Ken’s dying wish.

Liam Talbot has revealed he has been ostracised by his warring family over his desperate bid to honour his billionaire father’s dying wish to establish a single charitable foundation.

The Brisbane race car driver, 38, said he was disappointed by a Supreme Court ruling that rejected his argument for one family foundation, an intention laid out in his late father Ken Talbot’s will.

The court instead ruled two foundations would have to be established because of infighting between Mr Talbot’s widow, Amanda Talbot, and his four children.

Liam Talbot with his daughter Kensington, 2. Picture: supplied

Liam will run one foundation with his sister Courtney, 35 – Ken’s children from his first marriage – while the second foundation will be run by Mrs Talbot and her two daughters Claudia, 18, and Alexandra, 21.

“I’ve been ostracised by the family over my viewpoint with the fact I wanted to follow my father’s wishes, so I stand alone; but I knew this was never a popularity contest, it’s about doing what’s morally right,” Liam told The Courier-Mail.

“While the court’s ruling against my father’s wishes is very disappointing for me, I can take some comfort in the fact that finally after much delay charities will finally feel the true generosity my father always intended.”

Ken, a wealthy Queensland mining magnate, died in a light plane crash in the Congo in 2010 and clearly stated in his will that “all beneficiaries are sensible and do not argue”.

The administration of his estate has been dragging on for more than a decade, bogged down by legal fights raised by Mrs Talbot and her daughters.

The funeral of Ken Talbot at St. Johns cathedral in July 2010: Amanda Talbot with Liam, Courtney, Alex, 11 and Claudia, 8. Picture: Rob Maccoll

“I remember clearly a conversation with my father about the one family foundation and he was so proud that it’s something that would outlive him and outlive us children, and continue to help many people in the community perpetually,” Liam continued.

“I tried so hard to fight for his wishes, but I was outnumbered by those that wouldn’t put minuscule differences aside for the greater good.”

Liam added that a “hallmark of this estate is that people feel entitled rather than privileged”.

“I can feel proud to tell my daughters that I tried to hold the one family foundation together as their grandfather intended,” he said.

Liam, who lives in the outer Brisbane suburb of Chandler, shares two daughters, Kensington, two, and Theadora, nine months, with his fiance Charli Robinson, a former Hi-5 star turned Getaway presenter.

Charli Robinson and Liam Talbot with their newborn daughter Theadora and daughter Kensington in July 2020. Picture: Peter Wallis

“You can tell by his words Liam’s hurt,” Robinson said. “When we met he told me he finds it hard to grieve his father’s death with all this family legal fighting and after almost 11 years, he’s just had enough.”

Liam added: “I miss my father immensely and not a day goes by without thinking of him or wishing he could see his granddaughters. He would be a very proud granddad. He would ensure they will be Broncos fans while drinking rum and coke.”

Advocating for his father, Liam unsuccessfully argued in court that a single foundation be set up with an independent board, ensuring the feuding heirs did not have direct control.

But Justice John Bond rejected the idea after the other family members submitted to the court that a single Talbot Foundation would be unworkable due to past and “likely future” disputes.