Good, bad and messy in the battle of Australian celebrity wills

Major court battles have broken out over the multi-million dollar estates of some of Australia’s biggest names. See the list of who’s sued who.

Where there’s a will, there’s a relative.

Major court battles have broken out over the estates of some of Australia’s biggest names.

Descendants of former Prime Minister Bob Hawke, former New South Wales Premier Neville Wran, cricketer Richie Benaud, Richard Pratt and Bob Jane have led bitter legal battles.

TV business icon Reg Grundy, miner Lang Hancock and even author Colleen McCullough have had their wills challenged.

And while the battle of wills among the rich and famous hit the headlines, leading solicitors have warned that surging property prices have more people sitting on multimillion estates.

In Sydney and Melbourne, homes in former working class suburbs can now be worth millions.

Zion Legal Principal Lawyer Rita Kheissy warned that people needed to consider all their children when writing a will.

Bob Jane has been the focus of a family legal battle.

“If you don’t provide for a biological child, that child will be eligible to make a claim,” she said.

“The court will consider whether the deceased had a moral obligation to that child.”

However, Ms Kheissy said that children wanting to make a claim on a will should not think they will get a blank cheque.

The court will consider “the child’s own financial circumstances and in particular the degree to which that child might be incapable of providing for his or her own needs.”

Shari Lea Hitchcock lost a claim against Richard Pratt’s will. Picture: Toby Zerna

Jennifer Dixon, practice leader at law firm Moores, said many people underestimate their wealth.

“People forget their superannuation balance, and they may also have life insurance in their super that they don’t even know about,” she said.

Children who had not spoken to their parents for decades were also able to challenge wills.

“Even if they have been estranged for a long time, that doesn’t necessarily rule them out,” she said.

Both Ms Kheissy and Ms Dixon encouraged people to get a legal will to avoid disputes.

And Ms Dixon said there were some myths about wills, with some people wrongly believing that if you leave five per cent of your estate to a child they could not challenge the will.

Here are some of Australia’s most high profile will battles.

Model and former escort Madison Ashton also challenged but lost in her fight to access Richard Pratt’s will.

RICHARD PRATT

Billionaire Richard Pratt made a fortune through his Visy empire, which was the subject of two legal challenges on his will.

Mistresses Shari-Lea Hitchcock and Madison Ashton both sought more of the businessman’s estate after he died in 2009.

Ms Ashton, a former model and call girl, lodged a claim arguing that Mr Pratt had promised to pay her $2.5 million for each of her two children, a $500,000 a year allowance, $36,000 for annual rent and $30,000 for business expenses.

Richard Pratt became a billionaire through his Visy company, but his love life was complicated.

Ms Ashton lost an appeal in the New South Wales Supreme Court and was ordered to pay costs.

Pratt also had a long-term affair with Hitchcock, and the couple had a child Paula.

Australian billionaire cardboard box king Richard Pratt and wife Jeanne. Picture: AFP

Mr Pratt provided $22.8m for Paula in his will, but Ms Hitchcock fought for up to $60 million in property on behalf of herself and her daughter. She lost the case.

Bob Hawke and Hazel Hawke in 1983.

BOB HAWKE

Former Prime Minister Bob Hawke’s personal life was not as successful as his political career. He had a decades long affair with Blanche d’Alpuget, who later became his wife and beneficiary of his will. According to Ms d’Alpuget, Mr Hawke also had “affairs with women all over the country.” His four children were offered $750,000 each out of an estate worth $18 million when he died in 2019.

Author and wife of the late Bob Hawke , Blanche d'Alpuget. Picture: John Appleyard

Prime Minister Bob Hawke with daughter Rosslyn Dillon at Cats premiere in Sydney, 1985.

His daughter Rosslyn Dillon made a $4.2 million claim against his estate, which was settled out of court. Mr Hawke had wept in a press conference while he was Prime Minister over Ms Dillon’s heroin addiction.

NEVILLE WRAN

The former New South Wales premier died with about $1.6 million to his name in 2014, but his total estate was said to be worth up to $40 million.

Neville Wran at Sydney Town Hall, Picture: News Corp Australia

Jill Wran, the mother of Harriet Wran. Picture: AAP

His youngest children Harriet and Hugo Wran, settled their claim against the estate out of court. Harriet Wran has had a chequered life – she was jailed over her role in the robbery and murder of a drug dealer.

Richie Benaud and his wife Daphne at the unveiling of his statue at the SCG. Picture: Phil Hillyard

RICHIE BENAUD

The former Australian cricket captain and voice of summer failed to include his first wife and their eldest son in his will. Benaud died, aged 84, in 2014 after suffering skin cancer. His first wife Marcia, whom he was married to for more than a decade, along with their eldest son Gregory, challenged the will. They had been living in public housing at the time of their challenge. Benaud’s second wife, Daphne, whom he met in 1967, settled moments before the case was due to hit the New South Wales Supreme Court.

Colleen McCullough wrote several wills but ultimately her husband Ric was left her estate.

COLLEEN MCCULLOUGH

An American University tried to challenge Colleen McCullough’s will. The author had written an earlier version of her will leaving her entire estate to the University of Oklahoma. She had been separated from her husband Ric at the time.

Ric Robinson, the husband of the late Australian author Colleen McCullough. Picture: AAP

She later wrote a new will that named her husband before she died in 2015 on Norfolk Island. Ms McCullough wrote the book The Thorn Birds and her estate was worth $2.1 million. The university’s case was thrown out.

The late businessman and mining magnate Lang Hancock with his daughter Gina in 1992.

LANG HANCOCK

West Australian miner Lang Hancock made billions and his estate has been the subject of decades of battles since his death in 1992. His daughter, Australia’s richest woman Gina Rinehart, spent a decade fighting with Mr Hancock’s third wife Rose Porteous. Now Mrs Rinehart’s daughter Bianca is challenging her mother in Western Australia’s Supreme Court.

Hancock Prospecting Group executive chairman and Australian Olympic supporter Gina Rinehart.

HERMAN ROCKEFELLER

The Melbourne businessman was worth almost $15 million, but never wrote a will. He was killed in a Glenroy home, aged 51, before his body was dismembered and burnt in January 2010. Swingers Mario Schembri and Bernadette Denny pleaded guilty to manslaughter after murder charges were dropped.

Wife of Herman Rockefeller, Vicky Rockerfeller. Picture: Tim Carrafa

Rockefeller was killed during an argument about his failure to bring a woman to the swingers’ meeting. His death revealed his double life, with a Brighton woman coming forward claiming to be his mistress. His loyal wife Victoria won the right to keep his $14.6 million estate and share it with their children in 2011. The family home was already in Mrs Rockefeller’s name.

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Originally published as Good, bad and messy in the battle of Australian celebrity wills