DailyTelegraph.com.au – Fresh from a broken marriage, one wealthy international Aussie sportsman has challenged the $80 a week his estranged wife demanded for visits to restaurants plus $40 for entertainment and $50 a week towards holidays.
The man’s estranged wife was brought back to earth after the couple’s marriage ended a year ago and she found herself without a jetset lifestyle and the BMW she had previously driven.
A Family Court judgment handed down in Sydney last month revealed the husband claimed his wife had exaggerated the amount she needed from him to pay for clothing, entertainment, cleaning, repairs, food, household supplies, rent, cafes, gym and car payments.
Confidential is unable to name the sportsman due to the delicate nature of the Family Court proceedings, which centre around a $520,000 loan made to a “Mr S” by the wife from her husband’s family trust. “The husband is a sportsman contracted to an Australian organisation and an overseas organisation,” said Judicial Registrar William Johnston.
“In addition he earns substantial income from numerous commercial sponsorships. Clearly the continuing availability to Mr S of the . . . $520,000 of funds made available from the family trust is the source of some frustration to the husband.”
Registrar Johnston said the couple, who have one child together, split up last year with the woman taking $45,000 from their joint account.
The sportsman argued that, as his wife had worked before their child was born, it was reasonable for her to generate her own income.
However, the registrar accepted the wife had a back injury and should not have to work with such a young child – but agreed her demand for $1527 a week maintenance was exaggerated.
He ordered she be paid $1350 a week for her lifestyle and $52,000 a year in child support.