Hoolahan’s widow Juliana successfully contested the will, in which her husband criticised her for perceived drinking and gambling problems, and left her far less than she claimed she was due.

In his $15m will Hoolahan had left his wife of 30 years their Baulkham Hills home, a couple of cars, and $85,000 a year in tax free income, which was to reduce on a sliding scale as she aged. However in the judgment she also won their central coast holiday home, and a $450,000 boat, while the $85,000 a year was replaced by a $4m lump sum.

Associate Justice Richard Macready said that evidence offered by Hoolahan’s brother and the couple’s friends indicated Juliana did not have a drinking problem. The Court found that the will left her no control over her financial situation, arguing that she should be able to control her own destiny and invest the money as she saw fit.

Juliana Hoolahan had sought to inherit the entire estate. She said she had suffered mentally and physically while providing palliative care for her husband, who had insisted his children not be told about his cancer diagnosis. She added that she should be able to maintain the lifestyle they had together.

The Supreme Court ruled that the arrangements were, “plainly an attempt by the deceased to control his estate after his death.” Associate Justice Macready described the reduction of income as she aged as quite inappropriate and, instead of annual payments, he allocated her the holiday home, boat and $4 million.

Best known as the former owner of one of the biggest independent printers in the state, Graphic World, Hoolahan was a central player in the local print industry, and a long time member of the Mothers Club, the group of owners of Sydney’s major printers who met together regularly over a decent lunch.

From a humble start as a 15 year old apprentice in the Government Printing Office, he became a successful businessman, transforming Graphic World into one of the most successful print companies of its time and one of the first companies to be bought by the flood of private equity which came into print in recent years, in its case through Pacific Industries, which later became Geon. Graphic World was eventually merged with Agency Printing, which Geon bought from the Elliot brothers, but Geon closed it last year.

Comment below to have your say on this story.

If you have a news story or tip-off, get in touch at editorial@sprinter.com.au.  

Sign up to the Sprinter newsletter