Christian Porter to represent Russian oligarch with close Putin ties

Former attorney-general Christian Porter will represent a Russian oligarch identified by several western governments as an ally of Vladimir Putin who has filed a legal challenge against federal government sanctions imposed on him after the invasion of Ukraine.

Oleg Deripaska – who was once believed to be Russia’s richest man – was hit by targeted financial sanctions and banned from travelling to Australia under an announcement by then-foreign minister Marise Payne last year.

Former attorney-general Christian Porter has returned to private legal practice after leaving politics. Credit: Alex Ellinghausen

The billionaire’s extensive portfolio of assets includes a stake in a Queensland alumina refinery.

Porter, who returned to private legal practice after retiring at the last election, will represent Deripaska in hearings expected to be held in Perth.

Deripaska has claimed he was not performing any activities of economic or strategic significance to Russia so he should not have been punished by the government, according to The West Australian.

Government sources who were not free to speak on the record said they would not criticise Porter because he would have been obliged to take up Deripaska’s case under the so-called “cab rank” rule that prohibits barristers from refusing a brief if they are in a position to take it up.

Russian oligarch Oleg Deripaska is contesting the sanctions levied against him by the Australian government. Credit: AP

Porter, who was no longer in cabinet when the sanctions were imposed on Deripaska, has not responded to requests for comment.

Pragma Lawyers managing director Aaron McDonald confirmed Porter had been briefed to work as counsel on the case.

Porter quit politics after identifying himself as the subject of an ABC story alleging an unnamed cabinet minister had been accused of rape in January 1988 in a dossier sent to Scott Morrison and other parliamentarians.

Porter vehemently denied the allegations and launched defamation action against the ABC and reporter Louise Milligan.

When announcing the sanctions on Deripaska and other Russians last March, Payne said: “The Australian government is deeply committed to imposing high costs on Russia. This includes by listing individuals of economic and strategic significance to Russia who have supported, and benefited from, the Putin regime.

“We are also continuing to increase sanctions pressure on the oligarchs close to Vladimir Putin.”

The British government has described Deripaska as “a prominent Russian businessman and pro-Kremlin oligarch” who is “closely associated with the government of Russia and Vladimir Putin”.

When the US Treasury Department sanctioned Deripaska in 2018, it said: “Deripaska has been investigated for money laundering, and has been accused of threatening the lives of business rivals, illegally wiretapping a government official, and taking part in extortion and racketeering.

“There are also allegations that Deripaska bribed a government official, ordered the murder of a businessman and had links to a Russian organised crime group.”

Deripaska said there were no grounds for the sanctions and claimed they were based on “filthy lies”.

The US Justice Department last year issued an indictment against Deripaska for alleged evasion of sanctions and obstruction of justice.

“As today’s charges reveal, while serving the Russian state and energy sector, Oleg Deripaska sought to circumvent US sanctions through lies and deceit to cash in on and benefit from the American way of life,” Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco said in a statement.

“But shell companies and webs of lies will not shield Deripaska and his cronies from American law enforcement, nor will they protect others who support the Putin regime. The Department of Justice remains dedicated to the global fight against those who aid and abet the Russian war machine.”

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