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Star's dad in trouble
26/09/2006 13:36 - (SA)
Sydney - The father of Oscar-nominated Hollywood actress Michelle Williams launched a fierce fight on Tuesday against plans to extradite him to the United States where he is wanted for alleged tax evasion.
Stock market high-flyer Larry Williams, 64, whose daughter was nominated for a best supporting actress Oscar this year for her role in Brokeback Mountain, was arrested in Australia in May on behalf of US authorities.
The US Internal Revenue Service alleges that the Virgin Islands' resident - grandfather of Australian star Heath Ledger's daughter with Michelle Williams - evaded more than $1.5m in tax between 1999 and 2001.
On Tuesday, Williams, who is free on one million dollars bail, launched an Australian federal court challenge to extradition proceedings, disputing the competence of a Sydney magistrate to decide the issue.
Australia's Justice Minister Chris Ellison, acting on a request from US authorities, had issued a special certificate allowing a magistrate to rule on whether Williams should be extradited.
But Williams'S barrister Richard Lancaster said on Tuesday a magistrate did not have the jurisdiction to review the validity or basis of the certificate.
The federal court challenge is likely to delay extradition proceedings for Williams, who was detained when he arrived there from South Africa ahead of a one-month speaking tour of Australia and New Zealand.
Government lawyer Simon Daley told the court it would be better if Williams first "has his day before the magistrate", and then allows the federal court to review the lower court's decision.
Judge Margaret Stone set a December 4 date for the federal court hearing.
Williams, who was not in court Tuesday, was initially confined to downtown Sydney while on bail, but his conditions have been relaxed to allow him to compete in a marathon and also visit Sydney's Bondi Beach.
Heart-throb Ledger and Michelle Williams fell in love while filming Ang Lee's Oscar-winning gay cowboy movie and had a child together last year.
- AFP
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South Africa
