Australia’s legal costs for the Novak Djokovic fiasco are estimated to be $360,000 – but it is not the final figure.
The hefty bill was revealed during a Senate estimates hearing on Monday night.
However it doesn’t take into account the division of legal costs that were awarded in both court stoushes that took place.
The Department of Home Affairs was ordered to pay the legal costs for the first Federal Court matter in which the originalxjmtzyw cancellation of the tennis star’s visa was quashed.
But Djokovic was ordered to pay the costs in his subsequent failed bid to overturn Immigration Minister Alex Hawke’s decision to send the world No. 1 packing for being unvaccinated.
“Hopefully they’ll net out to zero,” Home Affairs secretary Michael Pezzullo said during the hearing.
The department’s legal group manager Pip De Veau said that the fees hadn’t been paid yet, but it was estimated to be $360,000, not taking into account these cost orders.
“The combined estimate at this stage was in the vicinity of $360,000 without any awards going either way,” she said.
“That includes external legal expenses and legal expenses internally.
“Costs were awarded against the department in the first proceedings, costs were awarded for the department in the second.
“We’ll need to get the invoices and make the determination in consultation with Mr Djokovic’s lawyers as to how those two cost orders are sorted out.”
Djokovic was deported last month after losing his last-ditch effort to stay in Australia.
“I will respect the court’s ruling and I will co-operate with the relevant authorities in relation to my departure from the country,” Djokovic said at the time.
“I am uncomfortable that the focus of the past weeks has been on me and I hope that we can now focus on the game and the tournament I love.”
