Mounted police try to control Occupy Melbourne protesters. Source: News Limited
EXCLUSIVE: OCCUPY Melbourne protesters who shut down the city and vandalised buildings have left the public with a million-dollar bill in legal fees and clean-up and other costs.
Documents obtained by the Herald Sun under Freedom of Information laws reveal the public cost of protesters suing the city council, police and the State Government in legal action that ultimately failed.
Lord Mayor Robert Doyle said he was outraged authorities had won in court, but the public still had to pay.
The City of Melbourne has paid over $554,000 to Hunt & Hunt Lawyers since 2011 after activists Sara Kerrison and James Muldoon sued, claiming the arrest and eviction of Occupy Melbourne protesters had been illegal.
Council had to spend an extra $71,000 on emergency barricades and to clean up the area and remove graffiti.
Victoria Police’s legal bills are understood to be at least double council’s, raising the prospect the full bill to the public is well into seven figures.
When asked about the costs uncovered by the Herald Sun, Lord Mayor Robert Doyle said: “One, they took us to the Federal Court. Two, they lost.
“Three, costs were awarded against them with very little likelihood that they can pay.
“Four, the bill is $554,000 - that’s legal fees alone to the city. And they are now taking us to appeal.”
The public had also footed the bill for the Occupy protesters’ failed court action.
Fitzroy Legal Service, The Human Rights Law Centre - both partly government-funded - and top barrister Ron Merkel, QC, took on the case.
Mr Muldoon and Ms Kerrison lost a Federal Court challenge last year after seeking to restrain the City of Melbourne from what they argued was unlawful conduct in regards to compliance notices issued by the council.
The court backed the police arrests.
Ms Kerrison has now filed an appeal to the Full Federal Court. She faces a potential $1 million plus legal bill from Melbourne City Council, Victoria Police and the state if she loses that.
The Occupy Melbourne group, which was part of the worldwide Occupy movement, was issued with council penalty notices after it erected tents in the City Square and two CBD gardens in November 2011.
Police clashed with demonstrators when they arrested almost 100 people after ordering them to leave.
Following a WikiLeaks protest at the US consulate in October 2012, Ms Kerrison was fined $1000 without conviction on three charges including hindering and resisting police and theft of police handcuffs.
Melbourne city councillor Richard Foster, describing the fees as substantial, said: “I would be very guarded on expending ourselves on further proceedings.”
Ratepayers Victoria president Jack Davis said once again the public was left to pay.
christopher.gillett@news.com.au
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