Labor powerbroker John-Paul Blandthorn wins $350,000 settlement from lobbyist Hawker Britton

Labor-aligned lobbying firm Hawker Britton has paid $350,000 to one of its former senior executives to settle Federal Court action over his swift exit from the business.

John-Paul Blandthorn, left, and Hawker Britton managing director Simon Banks.

Labor-aligned lobbying firm Hawker Britton has paid $350,000 to one of its former senior executives to settle Federal Court legal action over his swift exit from the business.

The Australian can reveal John-Paul Blandthorn has received $250,000 in compensation and another $100,000 to cover legal costs in a major legal victory for the influential Labor figure and former Andrews government adviser.

Mr Blandthorn launched legal action in the Federal Court against Hawker Britton and its managing director Simon Banks in October claiming his sudden dismissal violated his employment rights.

A source close to the negotiations said that as part of the settlement Hawker Britton had also agreed there would be no further restraint on Mr Blandthorn working with the firm’s current or former clients.

Hawker Britton employment records would also be updated to state Mr Blandthorn had resigned from the firm and was not terminated, the source said.

In a social media post on Sunday, Mr Blandthorn, who is the brother of Allan government minister Lizzie Blandthorn, revealed his legal action had been resolved.

“Just to let you know I have now resigned from Hawker Britton,” he wrote on LinkedIn.

“Hawker Britton has confirmed to me that any statement made on the public record about cessation of employment was not authorised by Hawker Britton.”

Mr Blandthorn declined to comment when contacted by The Australian. Mr Banks declined to comment when contacted by The Australian.

Mr Blandthorn was dismissed by Hawker Britton last June in unexplained circumstances and sources at the time said he was targeted by rivals within the firm who wanted to oust him.

Hawker Britton built a reputation as one of Victoria’s most influential lobbying firms and, according to the Lobbyist Register, retains clients including the Victorian Caravan Parks Association, National Pork Producers Council, Specsavers, Stayz, Apple and DP World Australia.

The Lobbyist Register also reveals that there has been an exodus of major clients from Hawker Britton in the past six months, including WPP Bond, Cubic Transportation Systems, Melbourne Airport, Macquarie Group Limited, Zscaler, Vicinity Centres, Caesarstone Australia Pty Ltd, PACT Group Holdings (Australia) Pty Ltd and the Shopping Centre Council of Australia.