Evie and Richard Buttrose settle proceedings with their mother Elizabeth’s estate

The niece and nephew of media maven Ita Buttrose have settled proceedings with their mother’s estate, writes Annette Sharp.

Two scions of Sydney’s highly regarded Buttrose dynasty have settled proceedings with their mother’s estate.

In the equity dispute dubbed Buttrose v Buttrose, which was resolved in the Supreme Court last week, the court heard Katherine Eve Buttrose, known as Evie, withdrew almost $700,000 from her mother’s account on five separate occasions between 2017 and 2019.

The court was told that, on November 24, 2017, Evie, a director at legal firm Corrs Chambers Westgarth, deducted $21,967.39 from her mother’s account.

Four days later she withdrew a further $78,000, and a day later another $200,000.

Then on April 29, 2019, she deducted the largest sum — $300,000 — before on June 15 of that same year she withdrew another $100,000.

Evie Buttrose (right) with her aunt Ita Buttrose.

It’s not clear from the court’s order why that money was withdrawn, but a solicitor from the NSW Trustee and Guardian (NSWTG) said she was satisfied Evie had provided an adequate explanation for three of the withdrawals, for the sums of $100,000, $200,000 and $300,000.

Buttrose and her two siblings are the children of Robyn “Elizabeth” Buttrose and her late husband Will, brother of national icon Ita Buttrose.

Elizabeth Buttrose with daughter Lizzie. Picture: Instagram

Former Sydney party girl Lizzie, Evie’s sister, was not a party to the proceedings, while her drug dealer-turned-legal aid advocate brother Richard was, with the court finding he did not have to repay a one-off $78,000 sum paid to him from his mother’s estate.

The Supreme Court matter arose after Richard placed a caveat on his mother’s Vaucluse home — estimated value in excess of $12 million — in 2019 after learning his sisters were making plans to sell the property and carve up the proceeds.

Family matriarch Elizabeth suffered a major stroke earlier that year, prompting her to move from the house to an Edgecliff nursing home.

The caveat of the family home brought to a head simmering tensions between Mrs Buttrose’s children and triggering, in March 2020, the appointment of the NSWTG to manage the then-75-year-old’s estate.

That same month Richard Buttrose filed a statement of claim against his older sister, alleging she owed him $8000 that was in an account under her control.

That matter was later settled in Richard’s favour.

Richard Buttrose on SAS: Australia 2022.

Middle child Evie had been granted her mother’s power of attorney prior to that time, while her brother was in jail.

According to an affidavit filed with the equity division of the Supreme Court by NSWTG, following a review of Mrs Buttrose’s affairs and unsuccessful attempts to obtain information from Mrs Buttrose’s children, NSWTG initiated proceedings against the two siblings on behalf of their mother.

The ownership of a house in William St, Double Bay, Evie’s current residence, was also in dispute.

Neither Evie nor Richard wished to comment when approached on Friday.

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