Defence firm Citadel Secure in new lobbying row after FOI documents raise Opposition questions

An Adelaide defence company with links to a Labor MP urged the Premier and his deputy to attend functions on behalf of clients, FOI documents show, raising “serious questions”.

An Adelaide defence company urged the Premier and his deputy to attend functions on behalf of clients, official documents show, raising new questions about if there were “lobbying” activities.

Citadel Secure, whose director is married to Labor’s newest MP Cressida O’Hanlon, has come under renewed scrutiny since it registered in June as a lobbyist, months after her bitter by-election win.

Ms O’Hanlon, 51, has repeatedly been forced to defend her integrity and deny lobbying for the firm her war veteran husband James, 50, of Norwood, owns, before her historic Dunstan win in March.

Premier Peter Malinauskas and Labor’s Cressida O'Hanlon with her husband James during a Dunstan by-election campaign event. Picture: Anna Vlach

Official government documents released under Freedom of Information reveal the company’s efforts to attract political, and taxpayer, attention for clients.

Papers show Citadel Secure’s fellow director David Searles, 62, of Aldgate, wrote to Premier Peter Malinauskas in May 2022 inviting him to a function on behalf of a local manufacturing business.

It is understood Mr Malinauskas wasn’t able to attend.

The company, which the directors founded in 2019, sent another invitation to Deputy Premier Susan Close in August last year on behalf of another sheet metal business client.

Cressida and James O'Hanlon on polling day with the Premier and his wife on March 23, 2024 Picture: Brett Hartwig

Dr Close also couldn’t attend, an official record states, which is among hundreds of documents that contain references to either the company or Ms O’Hanlon.

Opposition spokesman Ben Hood said transparency was “non-negotiable for a democracy and it seems that the Government is failing that test”.

“There are hundreds of FOI documents which raise serious questions about the nature of Citadel’s relationship with the Labor Government,” he said.

“What does the Government have to hide? If there’s one industry where lobbying absolutely must be transparent, it is defence. It’s the intersection of big government and big money and it influences situations of life and death.”

Mr Malinauskas and Ms O'Hanlon out in Norwood after she was declared the by-election winner. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Kelly Barnes

The company, which denies lobbying before registering in June, said it can’t disclose which AUKUS-linked international company it was helping “identify and understand local and state regulations for a large Defence manufacturing facility in regional SA”.

The directors, who are both registered as lobbyists, said their business had extensive agreements with multiple government agencies and the Australian Defence Force.

“We regularly engage with federal and state departments – like many other businesses in SA – to understand capability gaps and requirements,” they said.

“To suggest that is lobbying is patently incorrect and we have never undertaken lobbying on or behalf of ourselves or our clients.”

The Premier’s spokesman said he gets hundreds of invitations to attend functions. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Kelly Barnes

Mr Malinauskas’ spokesman said the Liberals must explain what was wrong with the Premier being invited to a commissioning ceremony for a major defence employer in his electorate. “The Premier receives dozens of similar invitations to various events every week,” he said.

“The fact Ben Hood sees this is a problem helps explain why the SA Liberals have such a toxic relationship with the business sector.”

Ms O’Hanlon said on Monday: “As I have consistently said, I have not undertaken any lobbying. The Liberals know this.

“If they have an accusation to make, they should make it. The fact they won’t tells you all you need to know.”

Originally published as Defence firm Citadel Secure in new lobbying row after FOI documents raise Opposition questions