Gina Rinehart Hancock Prospecting supports Indigenous charities despite Diamonds, netball, criticism

Gina Rinehart is at the centre of a storm over racist remarks her father made 38 years ago but several Indigenous leaders have hailed the billionaire for her ‘fanfare-free’ charity to Aboriginal Australia over the years. 

Indigenous businessman Clinton Wolf, a director Madalah Ltd, Country Liberal Party Senator Jacinta Price and former West Australian Liberal Party leader Zak Kirkup each jumped to the mining magnate’s defence this week.  

Mrs Rinehart’s company, Hancock Prospecting, announced it was withdrawing from a $15million sponsorship deal with Netball Australia ‘effective immediately’ on Saturday.  

In a statement, the business said it ‘does not want to add to netball’s disunity problems’ after Indigenous Diamonds player Donnell Wallam said she was uncomfortable wearing the company’s logo.

Gina Rinehart’s (above) mining company has proudly supported several Indigenous charities since she took over in 1992

Mrs Rinehart’s company is a donor to Madalah, an Indigenous education charity, and provides scholarships for Indigenous students in WA (pictured, Madalah students)

Ms Wallam said her discomfort was caused by racist comments about ‘sterilising’ and ‘breeding out’ Indigenous populations made by Mrs Rinehart’s father, who founded the company, in 1984.

However, Netball Australia has faced harsh criticism for judging the history of the company in light of its significant contributions to Indigenous wellbeing since Mrs Rinehart took over in 1992.

Mr Wolf said Hancock, through its Roy Hill Community Foundation, has made monumental donations to his charity, Madalah, which provides scholarships for Indigenous education.

In a piece for the National Indigenous Times, Mr Wolf said Mrs Rinehart stepped in to help the ‘chronically underfunded’ project when state governments lacked.

Director Madalah Clinton Wolf (right) said Mrs Rinehart’s foundation ‘quickly committed to a multi-year, multimillion-dollar funding’ when state government couldn’t deliver

Former West Australian Liberal Party leader Zak Kirkup (above) reminded Mrs Rinehart’s critics ‘very few brands’ have a clear conscience

‘The Roy Hill Community Foundation quickly committed to a multi-year, multimillion-dollar funding arrangement to ensure that many Indigenous kids could now have the opportunity they so desperately needed,’ he wrote.

‘The Roy Hill Community Foundation’s Hanrine Futures Program funded by the Hancock Group of companies will provide long-term scholarships as well as training, work experience and internships through to employment.

‘Did Madalah agonise over partnering with Mrs Rinehart and her companies? Absolutely not.’

‘Madalah is proud to say that Mrs Gina Rinehart’s companies are among Madalah’s most important sponsors and supporters.’

He added Mrs Rinehart should be judged by her own actions rather than those of her father.

‘Since when do we judge someone because of who their parents are or were or what they said?’ Mr Wolf said.

Senator Jacinta Price (above) said it was ‘ridiculous’ for Diamonds players to criticise Mrs Rinehart’s sponsorship based on racist comments her father made in the 1980s

‘Madalah’s experience has been that Mrs Rinehart is a kind and generous person who genuinely cares about Madalah and its Indigenous students.

‘Mrs Rinehart should be applauded for her generous sponsorship of Netball Australia, Madalah and a host of other very worthy causes that desperately need financial support, which she supports without fanfare.

‘While others have criticised her from the sidelines, she does deeds with a good heart. Actions always speak louder than words.’

Fellow National Indigenous Times writer and former West Australian Liberal Party leader Zak Kirkup told those hopping on board the bandwagon criticising Mrs Rinehart to remember ‘very few brands’ have a clear conscience.

‘Stop driving your Volkswagen or wearing Adidas because they were both used by the Nazis,’ he said. 

Mrs Rinehart’s company provides scholarships to Indigenous students through WA charity Madalah (pictured, Madalah students doing a high ropes course)

‘Don’t eat your KitKat because Nestle has a pretty terrible ethical history and put down your L’Oreal because it was invented by a fascist sympathiser.’ 

Senator Jacinta Price also called out Netball Australia for judging a sponsorship deal from Mrs Rinehart’s company.

‘It’s absolutely ridiculous that there’s this notion that it’s okay now days to judge individuals on the basis of what their mother, father, uncle, aunty or somebody who they’re related too did,’ she told Sky News.

‘If that was the case, there would be a lot of people, Indigenous people included, that we would all look down upon because of someone else’s actions or behaviours.

‘It’s utterly ridiculous that this ever occurred.

‘(Mrs Rinehart) has been extremely generous because she cares about the welfare of Indigenous Australians.

Hancock Prospecting pulled its $15million sponsorship of the Diamonds after Indigenous player Donnell Wallam (above) said she was uncomfortable wearing the company’s logo

‘To turn around and decide “oh hang on a second, no I don’t want to wear this because I am choosing to be upset by comments made by somebody else related however many years ago” … it’s ridiculous.’

She also weighed in on the controversy earlier on Facebook, telling Netball Australia ‘you make your bed, you lie in it’.

‘Unless you’ve got a cool few million in your back pocket to support your sporting code, your woke sense of self-importance should be your private opinion and your private opinion only,’ she said on Facebook.

‘Sporting codes, corporates and society in general need to grow a spine and stop pandering to self-righteous individuals on the basis that saying “no” to their selfish demands might attract accusations of racism or bigotry.’ 

Senator Jacinta Price and Madalah director Clinton Wolf slammed Netball Australia for criticising sponsorship from Hancock Prospecting for the Diamonds (above)