Wait on Sultan verdict
THE dispute over the will of late Hobart property mogul Ali Sultan has wrapped up in court, with the judge retiring to consider his decision.
The two-day Supreme Court hearing canvassed a number of arguments about the legitimacy of a succession of wills made by Mr Sultan between 2018 and 2020 – the last weeks before his death.
Before the trial started, all nine defendants either renounced their involvement
as executors to Mr Sultan’s will, or came to an agreement with Mr Sultan’s son, Moe, that his last true will was, in fact, made in July 2018.
A key issue raised in the hearing was Mr Sultan’s grasp of English, with Moe Sultan arguing wills made by his father after that date did not represent his true intentions and that he did not know their full contents.
Speaking after court adjourned, Mr Sultan said many migrants had been in the same position as his father – contributing enormously to society while unable to communicate effectively in written English.
“What I want to convey is that story is actually the story of thousands of migrants who have come to call Australia home,” he said.
“There’s no question in anyone’s mind that Dad was an astute businessman and was able to make significant contributions to this town and to Tasmania.
“For [some migrants], years pass and their grasp of English remains rudimentary and I don’t think it affects their ability to contribute to society.”
Mr Sultan said while his father was alive, he could rely on others when it came to documents in written English – but wills were a different matter.
He said his father’s will was “highly complex” and needed to be explained comprehensively – as his father had arrived in Australia during the 1960s, when language training was not required by migrants.
“You came here, you got off a plane and you worked,” he said.
Mr Sultan said the death of his father “was a huge blow to our family”.
“We miss him terribly,” he said.
“What’s important is that the entire Sultan family is committed to honouring Dad’s memory and continuing his legacy. Once the matter of Dad’s will has been resolved we will be able to turn our full attention to how best to continue on his legacy of supporting the community and building a strong business to support Tasmania’s economy.”
Justice Michael Brett will deliver his decision at a date to be determined.