Ex-Renewal SA boss John Hanlon lodges $250k claim for legal fees over botched ICAC case

Former Renewal SA chief John Hanlon put in a claim for nearly $250,000 in legal fees less than a week before he was charged again with corruption offences.

Former Renewal SA chief executive John Hanlon sought repayment of almost $250,000 in legal costs less than a week before he was advised he was to be recharged with corruption offences.

Lawyers acting for Mr Hanlon last Tuesday formally asked the state government to reimburse his legal fees under an ex-gratia scheme available to public servants subjected to criminal proceedings.

The request by Iles Selley lawyer Matt Selley to the Crown Solicitor’s civil litigation section came almost three months after 10 corruption charges against Mr Hanlon were dismissed in Adelaide Magistrates Court.

Mr Hanlon was on Monday advised he was to be charged again, on an ex-officio indictment to the District Court, with abuse of public office with two counts of dishonestly dealing with documents in the alternative.

The charges relate to a trip Mr Hanlon took to Berlin in 2017 to examine building renovations and co-working spaces as part of Renewal SA’s work on the former RAH site.

His lawyers are defending the charges and will lodge an abuse of process application with the District Court. Mr Hanlon has again attacked the move to recharge him, saying prosecutors conceded there was no case to answer on the initial charges when only three of six witnesses had been heard at the last hearing.

Former head of Renewal SA John Hanlon leaves the Adelaide Magistrates Court. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Brenton Edwards

“To now use the ex-officio is an appalling breach of process considering they stopped the hearing by conceding the case,’’ Mr Hanlon said. “This is a fundamental breach of our rights and I would suggest this tactic has never been used before, so what is the motivation of the DPP?’’

The letter to the Crown Solicitor reveals Mr Hanlon is seeking $245,585.90 plus GST for legal expenses he incurred fighting the initial charges.

“We submit that Mr Hanlon qualifies for reimbursement because he was the subject of a relevant ICAC investigation and criminal proceedings arising out of the performance of his duties, it would not have been appropriate for Mr Hanlon to have been represented by the Crown Solicitor and no material adverse finding has been made against him …” it states.

Mr Hanlon, 62, was originally charged with two counts of abuse of public office, three of deception, one of acting dishonestly and five of dishonestly dealing with documents, after an 18-month ICAC investigation.

Co-worker Georgina Vasilevski, 44, was charged with one count of abuse of public office and three counts of acting dishonestly.

Georgina Vasilevski outside the Adelaide Magistrates court. Picture: NCA NewsWire / David Mariuz

Prosecutors alleged that, in 2017 and 2018, Mr Hanlon improperly spent taxpayers’ money while on interstate and overseas trips, staying in luxury hotels. However, on June 18 this year, prosecutors conceded they could not prove beyond reasonable doubt the pair did no official work on the trips and all charges were dismissed.

Ms Vasilevski’s lawyers have been advised no further charges will be laid against her.

Originally published as Ex-Renewal SA boss John Hanlon lodges $250k claim for legal fees over botched ICAC case