Deripaska starts action in Federal Court

Having been banned from entering Australia, Russian oligarch Oleg Deripaska is taking legal action against the foreign affairs minister with help from Perth-based representation.

The industrialist and billionaire has lodged two legal documents with the Federal Court’s Western Australian registry last week.

Subiaco-based Pragma Lawyers has been listed as Mr Deripaska’s legal representative and Business News understands former federal attorney-general Christian Porter is assisting the firm as counsel.

The Australian government had imposed travel sanctions on Mr Deripaska in March 2022 amid the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

Business News understands that Mr Deripaska is seeking judicial review of his targeted financial sanctions and travel ban in the federal court.

Then foreign affairs minister Marise Payne announced two billionaires with links to business interests in Australia, being Mr Deripaska and Viktor Vekselberg, were added to the list of 41 oligarchs and immediate family members with financial sanctions and travel bans.

“The Australian government is deeply committed to imposing high costs on Russia,” Ms Payne said in March 2022.

“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.”

Mr Deripaska’s close ties with Russian president Vladimir Putin have been reported in media outlets across the world.

Mr Deripaska’s Russian company Rusal was also in a joint venture with Rio Tinto for the Queensland Alumina refinery in Gladstone, Queensland.

Rio Tinto controlled and had access to 80 per cent of the product produced while Rusal controlled the remaining 20 per cent.

During a limited AGM in May 2022, Rio Tinto chief executive Jakob Stausholm said the mining giant would cut its Russian ties.

“I would like to take a moment to talk about the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine, which has caused enormous suffering to innocent people,” he said.

“We have no operational assets or employees located in Russia or Ukraine; however, we are taking action in a few areas.

“Firstly, we are in the process of terminating all commercial relationships we have with Russian businesses.

“Most recently, we now have 100 per cent capacity of Queensland Alumina Limited, which was previously operated through a joint venture with Rusal.

“We remain committed to ensuring the continued safe operation of QAL, as a significant employer and contributor to the local Gladstone and Queensland economies.”

Rusal’s lawsuit against Rio Tinto in the federal court’s Victoria registry, filed in June, is ongoing.

The US Treasury also imposed a sanction on Mr Deripaska in 2018, which he reportedly tried to breach last year.

Business News was unable to confirm any further details of Mr Deripaska's recently lodged action due to new rules brought in by the Federal Court that prevent non-parties to the case from obtaining court documents until after the first hearing.

Previously, non-parties could access documents as soon as they were lodged.