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Indigenous netball player shares "disgusting" hate letter after sponsorship drama

<p>An Indigenous netball star has shared a vile hate letter she received from a netball fan, two years on from the Netball Australia sponsorship drama.</p> <p>Prior to her first game with the Australian Diamonds national team in 2022, Donnell Wallam, a Noongar woman from Western Australia, refused to wear the uniform which featured the logo of Gina Rinehart’s Hancock Prospecting.</p> <p>The 30-year-old athlete shared that her reasoning was over racist comments made by Rinehart's late father in the 1980s, when he suggested Aboriginal people should be sterilised.</p> <p>In response to Wallam's boycott, Gina Rinehart dramatically tore up her $15 million sponsorship deal with Netball Australia, which had been set to run until the end of 2025.</p> <p>Now, two years on from the sponsorship drama, Wallam shared a photo on of hate mail she received about the controversy, from a woman named “Mary”.</p> <p>The letter posted to Instagram, which accused Wallam of being "radicalised by the Aboriginal left", includes a mocking imitation of an Indigenous Acknowledgement of Country paying “respects to British and European elders”.</p> <p>“As if the hate online wasn’t enough, Mary thought she’d send me a letter,” the netballer wrote. “I’m beyond disgusted and hurt but I will never stop advocating for my people. Blak, Loud and Proud. ALWAYS.”</p> <p>The letter reads, “I am writing to you to express my sadness that your [sic] cost the Australian Diamonds, of $15,000,000, caused by your radically influenced comments about Gina Rinehart’s father, Lang Hancock.” </p> <p>“Mr Hancock’s comments about serialisation [sic] of Aboriginals was disgusting and made by one man. However, at the time his daughter was not yet born as you were not yet born. You were influenced by the nasty activist Aboriginal clique that hates everything Australia. You fell into their spell and caused such loss of donations to Australia Netball. Hang your head in shame girl, for being manipulated by the radical Aboriginal filth.”</p> <p>Mary adds that she went to school in Perth “and had many good Noongar friends that I still love today”. </p> <p>“You are a disgrace to the Noongar Tribe,” she wrote. “I will never watch you play, ever.”</p> <p>Wallam’s supporters slammed the letter as “disgusting”, saying they will always support the inspirational athlete.</p> <p>“You are such an inspiration for so many, I am completely disgusted but sadly not shocked, what an absolute piece of s**t this woman is,” one wrote.</p> <p>“I will defs be watching your next game to support you,” another said. “Sounds like Mary’s loss!”</p> <p><em>Image credits: DARREN PATEMAN/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock Editorial </em></p>

Legal

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Petition to put Gina Rinehart's portrait in Times Square goes viral

<p>When Gina Rinehart's portrait featured in an exhibition at the National Gallery in Canberra, she <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/entertainment/art/gina-rinehart-demands-for-national-gallery-to-remove-her-portrait" target="_blank" rel="noopener">demanded</a> it be taken down. </p> <p>The gallery refused, and said it would stay hanging in the gallery until the end of the end of the exhibit on July 21st. </p> <p>Rinehart's outrageous request to take down the artwork went viral on social media, and even saw her feature on Stephen Colbert's late night TV show. </p> <p>Now, comedian Dan Ilic has started a <a href="https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/put-vincent-namatjira-s-work-in-times-square#/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">petition</a> to get the artwork displayed in New York City's iconic Times Square. </p> <p>Ilic told <em><a href="https://www.thenewdaily.com.au/news/2024/05/21/rinehart-times-square" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The New Daily</a></em> that it is important to celebrate Australia’s art and artists, because “not many other people are”.</p> <p>“The person who was seeking for it to be removed has a unique place in Australian culture and politics, and uses their power for things that are very much in line with their interests,” he said.</p> <p>“Us, using our own power as a community to try and leverage a lot of little people’s contributions to this celebration of great Australian art, is a great thing.”</p> <p>Ilic said people approached him to launch the fundraising campaign because “I’ve become the person to do such things”.</p> <p>“I happened to go to an art event on the weekend with some people who know [artist] Vincent Namatjirawell and I asked them to check if he would like it,” he said.</p> <p>“He said it’s very funny, so we went ahead with it.”</p> <p>A 10-minute slot in Times Square costs $16,000, however Ilic is campaigning to raise $30,000 to beam Rinehart’s portrait into one of the busiest locations on the planet, with any excess money being donated to Indigenous-led youth climate network Seed Mob.</p> <p>He said, “By the very nature of that organisation, they’re at odds with a lot of what big corporations like Hancock Prospecting are all about.”</p> <p>Ilic said he was confident about passing the $30,000 goal and making the 10-minute slot a reality, after already raising over 70 percent of his goal.</p> <p>“There is an old maxim in crowdfunding: If you reach 50 per cent within the 50 per cent mark of time, you’ll get the rest,” he said.</p> <p>“We hit that earlier this morning and it’s about halfway now, so I think we’ll get the rest.”</p> <p>Ilic has previously campaigned to have features in Times Square, with one such ad highlighting Australia's lack of climate change action ahead of the COP26 meeting in 2021. </p> <p><em>Image credits: Dan Ilic - Indiegogo</em></p>

International Travel

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Gina Rinehart's financial advice for Anthony Albanese

<p>Gina Rinehart has offered some free and unsolicited financial advice to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in the wake of his divisive Federal Budget. </p> <p>Australia's richest woman, who has no experience in politics, suggested cutting the fuel excise and halting immigration would have a greater positive impact on the economy, as opposed to the Albanese government's measures to curb the cost of living. </p> <p>Rinehart has been critical of the $300 handout to combat energy bills regardless of household income, and believes that a big-spending budget is not the best way forward.</p> <p>Rather than tax Australians more to hand the money out again through handouts and welfare, she said lower taxes overall was a better way forward.</p> <p>Ms Rinehart said cutting fuel tax, which the government has rejected as too expensive, was one option.</p> <p>“I have advocated strongly for the government to directly reduce costs of living for Australians by cutting their fuel excise taxes, which would spread not only to car users, but all products that require transport,’’ she told <a href="https://www.news.com.au/finance/economy/australian-economy/gina-rinehart-tells-anthony-albanese-to-cut-fuel-excise-migration/news-story/bb84ef69e8a19506e7e3ae3e1f678e7c" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>news.com.au</em></a>.</p> <p>“I have also advocated for cutting other taxes, payroll tax, stamp duty and license fees, that not only would bring down the cost of living, but were supposed to have been cut when GST was introduced decades ago."</p> <p>“Big spending, big government costs all (which I advocate against), and adds to the costs of living."</p> <p>“Recycling taxes paid is very inefficient, the taxpayer is actually better off paying less tax, and spending their income as they prefer.”</p> <p>Ms Rinehart, who has racked up a net worth of over $46.5 billion AUD through her investments into mining, has previously suggested a better way is to cut taxes and allow people to keep more of what they earn.</p> <p>“To help people suffering the most on low incomes, such as veterans, pensioners and uni students, if the government really cared about these fellow Australians struggling with high costs, they would remove the onerous government paperwork and their unfair limits on pensioners, veterans and students working hours, each of whom face higher effective tax rates than me if they choose to work above a very small threshold of hours,’’ she said.</p> <p>“Letting Australians who want to work, work, would be not only better for those Australians and their families, but would save the need for the government’s very expensive policy of hugely increased immigration, to allegedly bring in more workers.”</p> <p><em>Image credits: Darren England/EPA-EFE & LUKAS COCH/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock Editorial</em></p> <p> </p>

Money & Banking

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Can you control your image? Gina Rinehart, King Charles and ‘moral portraits'

<div class="theconversation-article-body"><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/roger-benjamin-119535">Roger Benjamin</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-sydney-841">University of Sydney</a></em></p> <p>“She’s no oil painting”.</p> <p>Those were the unkind words of a colleague commenting on the subject of Vincent Namatjira’s acrylic painting, Gina. Every one of the prominent Australians and cultural heroes in Namatjira’s ensemble <a href="https://theconversation.com/vincent-namatjiras-paintbrush-is-his-weapon-with-an-infectious-energy-and-wry-humour-nothing-is-off-limits-217361">Australia in Colour</a> (2021) is subject to his trademark distortions.</p> <p>When the painter gets to work interpreting the press photographs that his main source, resemblance is always stretched. No one comes out unscathed: Tony Abbott looks just as scary as Angus Young from AC/DC; a grimacing Queen Elizabeth as grisly as a roaring Cathy Freeman. Indeed, in the <a href="https://thamesandhudson.com.au/product/vincent-namatjira/">2023 volume on Namatjira</a> there are no fewer than four paintings of Gina Rinehart – and they look like four different people.</p> <p>Do we expect a portrait to be a moral <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Physiognomy">physiognomy</a>, the ancient pseudoscience that assumes the way someone has lived their life shapes their features and appearance?</p> <p>Roman emperors were shown to be ideal types: the heroic portrait. Who knows what these men actually looked like? In the case of King Charles III, whose <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-68981200">new portrait</a> by Jonathon Yeo was unveiled this week, we can compare his likeness to the myriad photographic and filmic images.</p> <p>Newspaper caricature, <a href="https://firstamendmentmuseum.org/exhibits/virtual-exhibits/art-politics-300-years-of-political-cartoons/political-cartoons-part-1-1720-1800/">popular since the 1700s</a>, works hard to point out imperfections, posit animal likenesses, and exaggerate specific facial features to satirise public figures.</p> <p>Namatjira brushes with caricature even when depicting himself.</p> <h2>Can you control your image?</h2> <p>I think Rinehart should be flattered to be one of Namatjira’s favourites. The wits in the twittersphere have in the past 24 hours shown several more of his Ginas, and it turns out there are also at least half a dozen colour portraits of her by other artists.</p> <p>They range from <a href="https://scottmarsh.com.au/products/mothers-milk">Scottie Marsh’s mural</a> on a Sydney wall of a matronly Rinehart giving the breast to infant Barnaby Joyce (with apologies to Raphael), to Xavier Ghazi’s demonic hard-hatted Gina <a href="https://citynews.com.au/2023/bald-archy-prize-heading-for-immortality/">giving Australians the finger</a> – it’s in newspaper caricature mode, his entry in the Bald Archies competition for 2023.</p> <p>Although Rinehart has reportedly called for Namatjira’s painting to be taken down, the initiative <a href="https://www.theage.com.au/culture/art-and-design/gold-medallist-led-campaign-to-take-down-gina-rinehart-portrait-20240516-p5je1y.html">apparently comes</a> from members of the Australian swimming team and their former coach (Rinehart is that sport’s major private sponsor).</p> <p>I suspect their discomfort comes from reading Namatjira’s Gina as a moral portrait; that is, ugliness of appearance projects an ugly spirit (whereas for them she is the epitome of generosity).</p> <p>It’s an interesting idea that the fresh-faced teenage daughter of Lang Hancock in <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/tv-and-radio/abcs-australian-story-focuses-on-gina-rineharts-bond-with-father-lang-hancock-20150706-gi6h1f.html">old news photos</a> has changed not just because times takes beauty away (as we all know), but because of the impact of things she inherited from her father: not just the extreme wealth and the jawline, but the conservative views, and the ways she has used her money and power.</p> <p>Her control of vast tracts of (unceded) grazing land across western and central Australia give reason to reflect on what Western Aranda man Namatjira might think of her.</p> <h2>And yet what about commissions?</h2> <p>When can a sitter control their portrait image? Only when they commission the work. Art history has plenty of cases in which a sitter has rejected their portrait. Monet in the 1860s painted his brother Leon, who so disliked the canvas he locked it in an attic, from which it emerged 150 years later.</p> <p>Portrait paintings have had to be altered, payment refused, or be paid for then destroyed. The commissioned portrait, it’s assumed, must flatter the sitter or at least offer a fair and non-judgemental likeness.</p> <p>The British royal family has historically been very forgiving about portraits, and has the sophistication to know it is futile to protest a likeness. Doing so invokes the perverse “<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Streisand_effect">Streisand effect</a>”, as we see happening with Namatjira’s Gina.</p> <p>There are dozens of depictions of Elizabeth II and Charles III in Namatjira’s pantheon – including one of the late queen alongside Rinehart in Australia in Colour. Namatjira has a family link to Elizabeth and Prince Philip, who met Albert Namatjira (the painter’s great grandfather) on their 1954 tour of Australia.</p> <p>But no one is asking for Queen Bess to be removed from the National Gallery of Australia.</p> <p>As a mark of <em>noblesse oblige</em>, King Charles has accepted the newly unveiled commissioned portrait of himself by Jonathon Yeo. It is an absolute shocker, and he should have sent it back.</p> <p>The King, de-aged by 20 years, looks pleasantly out at us from a floor-to-ceiling fog of strawberry- and cerise-coloured paint that covers his dress uniform. The joke, of course, is that the red colouration can be read as a reference to “<a href="https://time.com/6226657/crown-charles-camilla-tampongate/">tampongate</a>”, the product of an infamous case of tabloid phone-hacking in 1993.</p> <p>It’s a case of a portrait generating an unintended consequence – just as Namatjira surely did not expect to provoke international headlines today with his Gina, whom he’s been depicting for years.</p> <p>Fittingly, wise heads have rejected calls for the gallery to remove the canvas, starting with director Nick Mitzevich’s <a href="https://amp.smh.com.au/culture/art-and-design/portrait-gina-rinehart-doesn-t-want-you-to-see-mogul-demands-national-gallery-remove-her-image-20240513-p5jd59.html">measured statement</a>, seconded by the National Association for the Visual Arts whose <a href="https://visualarts.net.au/news-opinion/2024/nava-defends-vincent-namatjiras-artistic-freedom-amid-demands-removal-nga/">press release</a> insists on freedom of expression.</p> <p>Finally, late yesterday, Namatjira, resisting myriad calls for interviews, issued a statement in the pithy mode of his book texts. Let him have the last word:</p> <blockquote> <p>I paint people who are wealthy, powerful, or significant – people who have had an influence on this country, and on me personally, whether directly or indirectly, whether for good or for bad. Some people might not like it, other people might find it funny, but I hope people look beneath the surface and see the serious side too.<!-- Below is The Conversation's page counter tag. Please DO NOT REMOVE. --><img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/230297/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /><!-- End of code. If you don't see any code above, please get new code from the Advanced tab after you click the republish button. The page counter does not collect any personal data. More info: https://theconversation.com/republishing-guidelines --></p> </blockquote> <p><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/roger-benjamin-119535"><em>Roger Benjamin</em></a><em>, Professor in Art History, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-sydney-841">University of Sydney</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: X (Twitter)</em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/can-you-control-your-image-gina-rinehart-king-charles-and-moral-portraits-230297">original article</a>.</em></p> </div>

Art

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“I paint the world as I see it": Artist responds to Gina Rinehart's demand

<p>Acclaimed Aboriginal artist <span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;">Vincent Namatjira </span><span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;">has found himself at the centre of controversy following criticism from mining magnate Gina Rinehart over his portrait of her displayed at the National Gallery of Australia in Canberra. Rinehart reportedly <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/entertainment/art/gina-rinehart-demands-for-national-gallery-to-remove-her-portrait" target="_blank" rel="noopener">demanded the removal of the painting</a>, which she deemed unflattering, sparking a debate on artistic expression and the portrayal of power in contemporary art.</span></p> <p>Namatjira's artistic style is characterised by caricatures that border on the cartoonish, portraying influential figures such as Queen Elizabeth II, AFL player Adam Goodes and former Prime Minister Julia Gillard. His work challenges viewers to question the societal constructs surrounding power and influence, inviting them to delve deeper into the underlying messages within his art.</p> <p>In response to the removal request from Rinehart, Namatjira released a statement saying:</p> <p>“I paint the world as I see it. People don’t have to like my paintings, but I hope they take the time to look and think, ‘why has this Aboriginal bloke painted these powerful people? What is he trying to say?’"</p> <p>"I paint people who are wealthy, powerful, or significant – people who have had an influence on this country, and on me personally, whether directly or indirectly, whether for good or for bad. Some people might not like it, other people might find it funny, but I hope people look beneath the surface and see the serious side too.”</p> <p>Through his art, Namatjira confronts the complexities of privilege, wealth and authority, presenting a perspective that may not always align with mainstream perceptions.</p> <p>Despite objections raised by some, the National Gallery of Australia has stood by its decision to retain the painting, reaffirming its commitment to fostering dialogue and engagement with art in all its forms.</p> <p>Reports of complaints, including accusations linking the portrayal to political agendas, underscore the broader societal divisions that art can sometimes expose. However, the NGA's refusal to yield to external pressure reaffirms the institution's role as a custodian of artistic expression, providing a platform for diverse voices to be heard and interpreted.</p> <p>Namatjira's exhibition, "Australia in Colour", serves as a testament to the power of art to provoke, challenge and inspire. Through his unique lens, he invites audiences to reconsider notions of power and influence, urging them to look beyond the surface and engage with the deeper narratives embedded within his work.</p> <p>In a world where influence is often wielded unequally, his paintings serve as a catalyst for reflection, inviting viewers to confront uncomfortable truths and embrace the diversity of perspectives that define our collective experience.</p> <p><em>Images: Getty \ X (Twitter) \ National Gallery of Australia</em> </p>

Art

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Gina Rinehart demands for National Gallery to remove her portrait

<p>Gina Rinehart has demanded that her portriat be removed from the National Gallery of Australia in Canberra because she doesn't like it. </p> <p>The portrait of Australia's richest woman appears alongside many others, including Queen Elizabeth and former Prime Minister Julia Gillard, in an exhibition by acclaimed Archibald Prize-winning Indigenous artist Vincent Namatjira.</p> <p>Namatjira's works are known for having cartoon-like qualities, as he often paints famous figures as caricatures. </p> <p><a title="www.smh.com.au" href="https://www.smh.com.au/culture/art-and-design/portrait-gina-rinehart-doesn-t-want-you-to-see-mogul-demands-national-gallery-remove-her-image-20240513-p5jd59.html">Nine Newspapers </a>have the National Gallery of Australia (NGA) have been flooded with a dozen complaints about the portrait of Rinehart, including some from athletes she sponsors through her company Hancock Prospecting. </p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">Australia’s richest person, Gina Rinehart, has demanded the National Gallery of Australia remove a portrait of her from an exhibition by Archibald Prize-winning Indigenous artist Vincent Namatjira. THAT’S A GOOD REASON TO SHARE THE PORTRAIT WIDELY. <a href="https://t.co/pYoMh6vQcW">pic.twitter.com/pYoMh6vQcW</a></p> <p>— Maurie Mulheron (@maurie_mulheron) <a href="https://twitter.com/maurie_mulheron/status/1790621641502036239?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 15, 2024</a></p></blockquote> <p>One complaint allegedly accused the NGA of “doing the bidding of the Chinese Communist Party” with the portrait of Ms Rinehart. </p> <p>On the NGA website, Ms Rinehart is listed as a “friend” of the gallery, as she historically has donated up to $9999.</p> <p>The NGA has refused to take the painting down, and the artwork will be on display until July 21st.</p> <p>“Since 1973, when the National Gallery acquired Jackson Pollack’s Blue Poles, there has been a dynamic discussion on the artistic merits of works in the national collection, and/or on display at the gallery,” the NGA said in a statement. </p> <p>“We present works of art to the Australian public to inspire people to explore, experience and learn about art.”</p> <p>In response to the demand to have the painting removed, Namatjira released a statement saying, “I paint the world as I see it. People don’t have to like my paintings, but I hope they take the time to look and think, ‘why has this Aboriginal bloke painted these powerful people? What is he trying to say?’"</p> <p>"I paint people who are wealthy, powerful, or significant – people who have had an influence on this country, and on me personally, whether directly or indirectly, whether for good or for bad. Some people might not like it, other people might find it funny, but I hope people look beneath the surface and see the serious side too.”</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images / X (Twitter)</em></p>

Art

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Inside Gina Rinehart's 70th birthday bash

<p>Gina Rinehart has celebrated her 70th birthday in style, hosting a star-studded black tie event featuring a horse show and Australian music. </p> <p>The billionaire mining magnate threw the bash on the banks on the Swan River in Perth last week, setting up an enormous marquee where Guy Sebastian performed the national anthem to kick off the celebrations. </p> <p>Gina was joined by her staff at Hancock Prospecting, Perth Lord Mayor Basil Zempilas who MC'ed the evening, and Opposition Leader Peter Dutton, who made a a nine-hour round trip just to spend 40 minutes at the private gathering as the star guest speaker.</p> <p>The evening was documented on Rinehart's business website, with the staff attendee recalling the glamorous party. </p> <p>“Many attended wearing their Rossi boots, and enjoyed a horseshow backed by the fantastic Aussie music, ‘The Man from Snowy River’, with riders accordingly also dressed in iconic Driza-Bone, and Rossi boots, carrying large Australian and company flags,” Hancock Prospecting said on its website.</p> <p>Mayor Zempilas also recalled the evening on Perth radio, saying, “It was a very special night actually.” </p> <p>“To see the admiration of the staff, the loyalty, I guess. And yes, it doubled as a 70th birthday party for the current West Australian of the Year.”</p> <p>The mining magnate, who has a net worth of $37.4 billion, was named 2023’s Western Australian of the Year for her philanthropic support of “worthwhile causes supporting several medical, sporting, veterans, health and other organisations personally and through the Hancock companies”.</p> <p>Gina's 70th birthday was celebrated with multiple chocolate cakes as she was joined by other company executives who have February birthdays.</p> <p>“The event celebrated the incredible life of one of Australia’s icons and recognised the long-serving staff members of Hancock Prospecting companies, including Roy Hill, Atlas Iron, Hancock Agriculture,” the company said.</p> <p>“The event was greatly enjoyed by all, with very positive comments by staff who attended, including, ‘The best night of my life.’”</p> <p><em>Image credits: Courtesy of Hancock Prospecting</em></p>

Family & Pets

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Gina Rinehart snaps up another iconic Aussie brand

<p>Not long after being crowned<em> The Australian Financial Review’s (AFR)</em> Business Person of the Year, Gina Rinehart has made another big move in the fashion industry. </p> <p>The mining magnate has purchased heritage shoe brand Rossi Boots, which has been operating since 1910, as part of her  “commitment to preserving iconic national brands”. </p> <p>“(This) ensures that Rossi’s manufacturing excellence remains in Australian hands and will see it expand into new markets,” Rinehart’s company S. Kidman and Co said. </p> <p>Rossi Boots was founded by Arthur Rossiter, and sell high-quality leather boots for both men and women.</p> <p>They even supplied hundreds of boots to Australian soldiers during World War I and World War II, which Rinehart said is a “recognition of our national history”.</p> <p>“Rossi Boots is more than just a brand, it represents a cherished part of rural Australia’s way of life,” she said.</p> <p>“We are committed to nurturing its legacy by maintaining operations in Australia and are excited about the possibilities that lie ahead for Rossi Boots under the umbrella of S. Kidman and Co.”</p> <p>The acquisition of Rossi's boots follows Rinehart's recent purchase of another heritage fashion brand, Driza-Bone, known for their oil-skin jackets, which has been a staple in Aussie wardrobes for 125 years.  </p> <p>“We want to keep and preserve its magnificent past but we also want to rejuvenate it,” she said. </p> <p><em>Images: Getty</em></p>

Money & Banking

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“Coast-to-coast”: Rinehart's radical plan to save the Commonwealth Games

<p>The 2026 Commonwealth Games has faced grim uncertainty ever since the <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/finance/money-banking/i-m-not-here-to-apologise-dan-andrews-fires-up-as-comm-games-is-scrapped" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Victorian government withdrew its commitment to host the event</a>, leaving Australia in a precarious situation.</p> <p>However, a new and radical proposal by Australia's wealthiest individual, Gina Rinehart, supported by Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate and Perth Lord Mayor Basil Zempilas, suggests a unique solution to save the Games. Rinehart's proposal involves hosting the event in two cities at opposite ends of the country – the Gold Coast and Perth.</p> <p>The initial plan by the Victorian government to host the Games across multiple towns in regional Victoria was abandoned due to the reported $4 billion price tag. This decision left Australia without a host city for the 2026 Games, and no alternative has been proposed since. Additionally, the withdrawal of support from the Canadian city Alberta for the 2030 event further complicated the future of the Commonwealth Games.</p> <p>Now, in a letter addressed to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Rinehart, Tate and Zempilas have suggested a bold coast-to-coast approach for the Commonwealth Games.</p> <p>The idea is to utilise existing facilities in the Gold Coast and Perth, with each city hosting a week of the Games. The proposal aims to showcase Australia on a national scale, providing a unique background for discussions with Commonwealth heads.</p> <p>“We believe that a coast-to-coast Games presents a special opportunity to showcase Australia and provides an excellent background for you to invite those heads of the Commonwealth you may wish to have further discussions with, and/or entertain,” the letter reads. “A background where Australia pulls well above its weight, and shines!”</p> <p>While the proposal has gained support from key figures, including Rinehart's assertion that it would not be too difficult to execute, some critics have raised practical concerns. Melbourne radio host Tom Elliott expressed skepticism about the feasibility of a dual-city approach, citing the vast distance between the Gold Coast and Perth, which is over 4000km.</p> <p>“You could not pick two cities in Australia that are further apart from each other," Elliott said on his 3AW radio talk show. </p> <p>He also questioned the logistical challenges, such as the need for two athletes' villages and the movement of officials and volunteers between the two cities: “To have a Commonwealth Games split between the Gold Coast and Perth, I just think is utter madness... The idea is that they do the first week of events on the Gold Coast and the second week in Perth. But think about it – unless every official and volunteer moves between the Gold Coast and Perth – and where would you put them all? They effectively have to recruit all the people again just to make the Games run. You’ve got to build two athletes villages. It’s just such a dumb idea.</p> <p>“I think we need to accept, as sad as this is, that the era of the Commonwealth Games is over. Not that many people watch it, not that many countries compete in it, it doesn’t make any money – that’s the reason cities don’t want to host it.”</p> <p>Rinehart's letter counters that criticism, claiming that the dual-city approach would be popular, in the national interest, and beneficial for athletes and cities. She contends that the proposal would be more popular and less expensive than other recent expenditures, suggesting that funds allocated for other purposes, such as Papua New Guinea football, could be redirected to improve Australian facilities for the Commonwealth and later Olympic Games.</p> <p>Rinehart's bold proposal to host the 2026 Commonwealth Games in two cities at opposite ends of Australia certainly presents a novel solution. While critics question the practicality of the idea, proponents believe it could not only save the Games but also showcase Australia on a grand scale. As discussions unfold, the fate of the Commonwealth Games hangs in the balance, with Rinehart's vision offering a unique and ambitious alternative.</p> <p><em>Images: Getty / Facebook</em></p>

Money & Banking

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Gina Rinehart's bid to save the Commonwealth Games

<p>Gina Rinehart has thrown her support behind a bid to save the 2026 Commonwealth Games, after Victoria abandoned hosting the event.</p> <p>Australia's richest person has vowed to work with sporting officials and Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate to help salvage the Games and move them to Queensland, after Victorian premier Dan Andrews pulled the pin on the event over major budget issues. </p> <p>Gina's support comes amid fears the Commonwealth Games are in free fall after Canada pulled out of a bid to host the 2030 Games, meaning the Games currently have no future events planned and no host city.</p> <p>Following Victoria's abandonment of the 2026 Games, London, New Zealand and several cities in Scotland have launched campaigns to host the event, with each of them garnering some public support.</p> <p>According to reports from the <em><a title="www.couriermail.com.au" href="https://www.couriermail.com.au/sport/gina-rinehart-backs-gold-coast-bid-for-2026-commonwealth-games/news-story/3a6d0b2b4acb5ff522dde7ea4bd3e6b7" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-tgev="event119" data-tgev-container="bodylink" data-tgev-order="3a6d0b2b4acb5ff522dde7ea4bd3e6b7" data-tgev-label="sport" data-tgev-metric="ev">Courier Mail,</a></em> Rinehart is not prepared to fund the Games herself, but is prepared to do whatever is needed to help the Gold Coast secure the Commonwealth Games.</p> <p>A spokesman for Rinehart said “direct athlete support” would remain the focus of Hancock Prospecting’s sports funding program, but she would back a Gold Coast bid.</p> <p>“Having seen the joy that athletes and their families experienced when competing in front of a home crowd for the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games, Mrs Rinehart would certainly welcome the 2026 event to again be held in Australia, especially at the Gold Coast, where it was run so successfully before,” her spokesman said. </p> <p>Mayor Tate said Rinehart’s commitment was a significant endorsement in the Gold Coast, which he said could host the Games again at a cost of just over $1 billion.</p> <p>The city hosted the 2018 Commonwealth Games and would have the facilities to hold the event just eight years later.</p> <p>“Her statement sends a clear message: We must show what we are capable of as a country,” Tate said.</p> <p>“The Aussie athletes deserve it, as does every young kid who dreams of representing their country."</p> <p>“The momentum behind a 2026 Gold Coast Games is growing.”</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p>

Money & Banking

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Gina Rinehart responds to $544m super rumours

<p dir="ltr"> It can be hard being rich. Sometimes you have to deny you have $544 million in your super, and other times you have your spokesperson do it for you. </p> <p dir="ltr">The internet has been hard at work trying to guess whose name is attached to the staggering <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/finance/retirement-income/who-is-the-one-australian-with-over-500-million-in-superannuation">$544m superannuation fund</a> reported and thrust to viral heights by a graph-wielding tweet. </p> <p dir="ltr">The account holder’s name cannot be revealed as it is protected under the Taxation Administration Act of 1953, but the internet couldn’t be stopped from compiling a list of guesses, with Gina Rinehart taking the number one spot. </p> <p dir="ltr">The executive chair of Hancock Prospecting is Australia’s richest person, so it wasn’t a stretch for the internet to circle back to her again and again.</p> <p dir="ltr">However, it appears that people may have to get their magnifying glasses back out, and slap on their detective badges, as Rinehart’s spokesperson has reached out to tell <em>news.com.au </em>that the mining magnate is not the account holder of Australia’s richest superannuation fund. </p> <p dir="ltr">Simply put, they could “confirm that Mrs Rinehart is not the person with that $544 million super balance.”</p> <p dir="ltr">No further detail was provided, prompting some to question if the statement was just to throw them off the scent, though most were happy to take it at face value. </p> <p dir="ltr">They didn’t have much sympathy for the super rich Rinehart either way, despite the certainty that the government’s announced superannuation changes will impact her accounts. </p> <p dir="ltr">Under the changes, “Australians with over $3m in their super accounts have their <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/finance/retirement-income/anthony-albanese-confirms-changes-to-superannuation">concessional tax rate doubled</a> - from 15 per cent to 30 per cent - and won’t be effective until around 2025-26.” </p> <p dir="ltr">Only 0.5% of Australians are set to be impacted, leaving a small pool of only 88,000 people to focus on while trying to figure out the $544m mystery. While the likes of Clive Palmer and Kerry Stokes seem quite likely, some have come to believe that the account holder may in fact be owned by someone in an opposing political party, and perhaps even one of the most vocally opposed. </p> <p dir="ltr">And at the end of the day, the general public don’t seem too fazed about it all - though it would be nice to get to the bottom of the account - as the average Australian can only dream of having the $3m threshold in their super fund anyway. </p> <p dir="ltr">And luckily for us all, you can’t tax a dream (yet). </p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: Getty </em></p>

Money & Banking

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“Most beautiful woman in the world” passes away

<p>Legendary Italian actress Gina Lollobrigida, who came to be known as “the most beautiful woman in the world” after the title of one of her most famous films, has passed away in Rome at the age of 95.</p> <p>Details are few at this stage, But Lollobrigida underwent surgery just last September after suffering a fall in order to repair a thigh bone. She returned home and said she had quickly resumed walking. </p> <p>After achieving international film stardom during the 1950s, a drawn portrait of Lollobrigida graced a 1954 cover of <em>Time</em> magazine, which in an article about Italian movie-making likened her to a “goddess.”</p> <p>More than a half-century later, Lollobrigida still turned heads with a head full of auburn curly hair and her statuesque figure.</p> <p>“Lollo,” as she was lovingly nicknamed by Italians, began making movies in Italy just after the close of WWII, as the country began to promote on the big screen a stereotypical concept of Mediterranean beauty as buxom and brunette.</p> <p>Besides <em>The World’s Most Beautiful Woman</em> in 1955, career highlights included Golden Globe-winner <em>Come September</em>, with Rock Hudson; <em>Trapeze</em>; <em>Beat the Devil</em>, a 1953 John Huston film starring Humphrey Bogart and Jennifer Jones; and <em>Buona Sera, Mrs Campbell</em>, which won Lollobrigida Italy’s top movie award, a David di Donatello, as best actress in 1969.</p> <p>In Italy, she worked with some of the country’s top directors following the war, including Mario Monicelli, Luigi Comencini, Pietro Germi and Vittorio De Sica.</p> <p>Two of her more popular films at home were Comencini’s <em>Pane Amore Fantasia</em> (<em>Bread Love Fantasy</em>) in 1953, and the sequel a year later, <em>Pane Amore Gelosia</em> (<em>Bread Love Jealousy</em>).</p> <p>In each of them, her male foil was Vittorio Gassman, one of Italy’s most popular leading men on screen.</p> <p>Lollobrigida began her career in beauty contests, posing for the covers of magazines and brief appearances in minor films. But her sexy image quickly propelled her to roles in major Italian and international movies.</p> <p>While Lollobrigida played some dramatic roles, her characters were most popular in lighthearted comedies, like the ‘Bread Love’ movies.</p> <p>Lollobrigida also was an accomplished sculptor, painter and photographer, and eventually dropped film for the fine arts. With her camera, she roamed the world from what was then the Soviet Union to Australia.</p> <p>In 1974, Fidel Castro hosted her as a guest in Cuba for 12 days as she worked on a photo reportage.</p> <p>She was born on July 4, 1927 in Subiaco, a picturesque hill town near Rome, where her father was a furniture maker.</p> <p><em>Images: Wikipedia / Rotten Tomatoes</em></p> <p> </p>

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Gina Rinehart dishes out random $100k Christmas bonuses

<p>Australia’s richest person has splashed the cash this Christmas, randomly awarding 10 Roy Hill workers a $100,000 bonus.</p> <p>Mining magnate Gina Rinehart was said to have told employees last week to “stand by for an important announcement”, a source told a Perth radio station on Monday.</p> <p>A caller said that the billionaire “announced the fact that she was going to call 10 names out of a hat”.</p> <p>“Those names would each receive a $100,000 Christmas bonus,” the caller said.</p> <p>An anonymous Roy Hill employee jumped in on Tuesday, confirming that the rumour was legitimate.</p> <p>They added that one of the winners had only been at the firm, which is controlled by Rinehart’s private company Hancock Prospecting, for three months. This left some long-term employees annoyed.</p> <p>Roy Hill was sought after for comments but has so far stayed quiet.</p> <p>The Pilbara operation is a major money-maker for Rinehart, delivering a net profit of $3.2bn for the year to June 30.</p> <p>The figure after tax was 28% weaker compared with 12 months earlier, with the shortfall being attributed to falling iron ore prices.</p> <p>Rinehart, who was born in Perth, is Australia’s richest person with a net worth of $32.6 billion.</p> <p><em>Image: Getty</em></p>

Money & Banking

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Andrew Gaze slams Gina Rinehart for not condemning her father's offensive comments

<p>Basketball legend Andrew Gaze has slammed millionaire mining magnate Gina Rinehart for failing to condemn her father's past comments about Indigenous Australians. </p> <p>The fallout of a $15 million Netball Australia partnership with Rinehart’s Hancock Prospecting stems from comments made by Gina's father, Lang Hancock, in the 1980s.</p> <p>Hancock Prospecting backed out on the lucrative partnership on Saturday, leaving the sporting organisation on the brink of financial ruin.</p> <p>Indigenous player Donnell Wallam was said to be uncomfortable wearing a uniform with the company’s logo after Hancock made the offensive comments in the 1984 documentary <em>Couldn’t be Fairer</em>, eight years before his death.</p> <p>“Those that have been assimilated into earning good living and earning wages among the civilised areas and have been accepted into society and can handle society, I’d leave them well alone,” he said at the time.</p> <p>“The ones that are no good to themselves … I would dope the water up so that they were sterile and would breed themselves out in the future, and that would solve the problem.”</p> <p>Now, Andrew Gaze has come out swinging against Rinehart, calling for her to distance herself from the damaging comments. </p> <p>“She (Gina Rinehart) could have apologised for her father’s comments, distanced herself from them and told us that she doesn’t believe those things. Instead, she pulled her money out,” he said.</p> <p>“I am not blaming Gina Rinehart for her father’s comments, but what I don’t understand is why she won’t very publicly disassociate herself from them,” Gaze said on SEN The Run Home.</p> <p>“(She should say), ‘I love my dad, but (that was wrong)’."</p> <p>“If my dad had said that, or if my uncle, or anyone associated with me, or if my friend said it, (I would say), ‘I love this person, I’m still going to love him, but I’m going to educate him, I’m going to say, no, that is not the right way to deal with that issue, it is actually vile what you’ve said’.”</p> <p>“If you can’t reconsider that, then I’m going to question our friendship, if you’re going to maintain that view, then you’re not a friend of mine."</p> <p>While a string of right-wing politicians have called out the netball team for being ungrateful, everyday Aussies have wondered why Rinehart is staying silent. </p> <p>“If I can be held accountable for the actions of every South Sudanese person in Australia, then Gina Rinehart can acknowledge the actions of the man she inherited her fortune from,” wrote Melbourne-based South Sudanese artist, Atong Atem.</p> <p>“It would amount to ABSOLUTELY nothing without action. Literally folks are asking her to do good PR via empty gesture but it’s only fair.”</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p>

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World’s hottest grandma shocks with Shane Warne claim

<p dir="ltr">Gina Stewart, the <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/lifestyle/beauty-style/world-s-hottest-grandma-reveals-paparazzi-hell" target="_blank" rel="noopener">world’s hottest grandma</a> has claimed that she was “quietly” dating Shane Warne.</p> <p dir="ltr">The legendary cricketer, 52, died of natural causes on March 4 in a luxury villa on the Thailand holiday island of Koh Samui.</p> <p dir="ltr">Now six months later, the 52-year-old model has revealed that she and the late cricketer were chatting online for months in 2018 before eventually meeting up. </p> <p dir="ltr">“I have been devastated over the last few months,” she told The Daily Star.</p> <p dir="ltr">“The world lost a legend and I lost a friend and confidante. The unthinkable happened.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I was dating Shane but it wasn’t well-known. He wanted to keep it personal.”</p> <p dir="ltr">The pair met up after a game that Warne played and they “hit it off straight away and spent the whole night talking”.</p> <p dir="ltr">Stewart claims that they got “extremely close” and that she promised Warne to keep their relationship out of the public eye. </p> <p dir="ltr">She said they would have to wear hats and sunnies to avoid paparazzi who were stalking her house. </p> <p dir="ltr">Despite not speaking at the time of his death, Stewart felt it was right to open up about what a lovely person Warne was.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I couldn’t speak until now and I just want people to know he was a truly caring humanitarian.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: Instagram</em></p>

Relationships

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Kath & Kim to return for 20th anniversary reboot

<p dir="ltr">It’s time to crack open the Tia Maria and whack on the footy franks because the foxy ladies of Fountain Lakes are back!</p> <p dir="ltr">The cast of Aussie TV show <em>Kath & Kim</em> have once again joined forces to record a special project for the show’s 20th anniversary. </p> <p dir="ltr">Creators Gina Riley and Jane Turner along with stars Magda Szubanski, Glenn Robbins and Peter Rowsthorn arrived at the NEP Studios in South Melbourne for filming. </p> <p dir="ltr">The special one-off is expected to see the famous characters of Kath Day-Knight (Turner), her daughter Kimberly Day Craig (Riley), Kath’s butcher husband Kel (Robbins) and Kim’s husband Brett (Rowsthorn), and second-best friend Sharon Strzelecki (Szubanski) return. </p> <p dir="ltr">And of course, Kath & Kim’s Brighton alter egos, Prue and Trude will make an appearance. </p> <p dir="ltr">The reboot is expected to air later in the year with ABC, Seven and Netflix strong contenders for the broadcast. </p> <p dir="ltr">The first episode of <em>Kath & Kim</em> aired in May 2002 which then saw a legion of fans follow the foxy ladies. </p> <p dir="ltr">Fans were recently in <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/property/real-estate/how-can-they-do-this-iconic-house-of-kath-and-kim-demolished" target="_blank" rel="noopener">uproar after the home</a> used in the show, dubbed “Chateau Kath" was demolished after the owner wanted to create a bigger home for her family. </p> <p dir="ltr">Pete Rowsthorn, who played Brett in the series, said the house contained a lot of memories but it's time to move on.</p> <p dir="ltr">“It was a weird house, if I bought it I'd probably pull it down too," he previously said.</p> <p dir="ltr">"It had really quite small rooms … the squeaky back door, that was all natural sound. There was no foley man putting that on top.</p> <p dir="ltr">"I played cricket in the backyard with Shane Warne, I danced in the garage with Kylie Minogue, I sat and had dinner with Barry Humphries dressed up as a monk.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Facebook</em></p>

TV

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“World’s hottest grandma” reveals paparazzi hell

<p dir="ltr">The world’s self-proclaimed hottest grandma has spoken about being forced to leave her home due to paparazzi stalking her. </p> <p dir="ltr">Gina Stewart moved from New Zealand to the Gold Coast and is being chased by paparazzi who have figured out where she lives.</p> <p dir="ltr">The 51-year-old said that despite her huge following online where she shares promiscuous images, she is actually “really shy”. </p> <p dir="ltr">"I have been chased all around the Gold Coast by paparazzi trying to catch me," she told The Daily Star.</p> <p dir="ltr">"I don't give out my address and I had to move from one address because paparazzi tried to catch me outside.</p> <p dir="ltr">"It got to a point where I wouldn't go out until I knew they had gone."</p> <p dir="ltr">The mother-of-four and grandmother-of-one certainly does not look her age and credits her looks to a hyper-cooling remedy.</p> <p dir="ltr">Stewart exposes herself to temperatures of -110C to help “rejuvenate” her body and helps with muscle fatigue, muscle repair, injury treatment plus general skin revival.</p> <p dir="ltr">"Cryotherapy is my number one go-to therapy. I firmly believe it is the reason why I feel and look refreshed. It's my fountain of youth," she previously said. </p> <p dir="ltr">"I have been doing cryotherapy for a while and will keep it up as long as possible."</p> <p dir="ltr">She explained that each session costs $55 and does it twice a week. </p> <p dir="ltr">Stewart has also been doing it for a year which is helping her burn 800 calories each session. </p> <p dir="ltr">The grandma also sticks to eating protein-rich foods and avoids alcohol. </p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: Instagram</em></p>

Beauty & Style

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Gina Rinehart tells private school students to be wary of ‘climate propaganda’

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The richest woman in Australia, mining magnate Gina Rinehart, caused a stir recently when a video she had recorded for her alma mater had to be cut because of her controversial views. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In the video, recorded by Rinehart for the 125th anniversary of her alma mater, St Hilda’s Anglican School for Girls in Perth’s Mosman Park, Rinehart speaks for 16 minutes instead of the required 5, and only managed to stay on topic for so long. She starts out talking about her family’s connections to the school, which go back four generations. About five minutes in, however, she begins critiquing the ‘propaganda’ she believes students are being taught regarding climate change.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“It’s very important in my view that today’s parents or guardians or grandparents ask their children each and every day what they are learning at school, counter any propaganda and address their concerns with teachers directly,” she says in the video.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Please be very careful about information spread on emotional basis, or tied to money, or egos, or power-seekers, and always search for the facts, even if the tide is against you, and it’s not considered popular.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Facts may not be popular, but that shouldn’t mean they should be overlooked.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><img style="width: 500px; height: 265.867418899859px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7844698/screen-shot-2021-10-08-at-12822-pm.png" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/e1e0fe218b2c41e197cd72636942ef45" /></span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Faculty members cut the video short, but the entire video, along with a transcript, can still be viewed on Rinehart’s </span><a href="https://www.ginarinehart.com.au/speech-by-mrs-gina-rinehart-celebrating-125-years-of-st-hildas-anglican-school-for-girls/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">website</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">. In the full-length speech, she mentions inviting infamous climate deniers such as Lord Monckton and Professor Ian Plimer to speak at the school in response to students being shown Al Gore’s 2006 documentary </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">An Inconvenient Truth.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">When asked for his thoughts on Rinehart’s views, WA premier Mark McGowan said that it was “well accepted by scientists and governments and people all over the world that carbon emissions by us are increasing temperatures. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“That’s certainly what I believe, and the overwhelming majority of scientists believe, and I think we should work on that basis,” he said.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">It is widely accepted by bodies like </span><a href="https://climate.nasa.gov/effects/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">NASA</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/climate-change/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">the UN</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, and the </span><a href="https://www.climatechangeinaustralia.gov.au/en/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">CSIRO</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> that climate change is real, is occurring as the result of humanity’s impact on the climate, and will only get worse in the decades to come if more is not done to combat it. Meanwhile, the claims made by skeptics like </span><a href="https://skepticalscience.com/Monckton_Myths_arg.htm"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Lord Monckton</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> and </span><a href="https://skepticalscience.com/skeptic_Ian_Plimer.htm"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Professor Plimer</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> denying the realities of climate change have been widely and thoroughly debunked.</span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Image: Scott Barbour/Getty Images</span></em></p>

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Gina Rinehart hits back at Celeste Barber’s criticism over bushfires

<p>Australia’s richest woman Gina Rinehart has slammed comedian Celeste Barber who has raised $47 million in less than a week for the bushfire appeal, saying she’s more concerned about the “true cause” of the fires.</p> <p>Earlier in the week, Barber criticised billionaires, as she asked why they aren’t donating to help the Australian bushfire crisis.</p> <p>She directly tweeted at Rinehart, who has a net worth of close to $14 billion, writing: “If you’re in Hawaii on a family holiday I’m going to flip a f***ing table”.</p> <p>But a spokesman for the billionaire has issued a statement saying the wealthy mining magnate prefers to donate privately.</p> <p>The statement says the billionaire does not want to “rush” to blame climate change for the devastation.</p> <p>“(Mrs Rinehart) is most concerned that the true causes of this sad devastation are tackled, rather than missed in the rush to blame climate change,” the spokesman said in a statement revealed by the<span> </span><em>Daily Mail.</em></p> <p>“In particular, restrictions on building dams are lifted, the dangerous restrictions on allowing adequate fire breaks and restrictions on land clearing, which regulations have helped to cause life and stock losses, property damage, and damage to livelihoods and much suffering.”</p> <p>Rinehart has apparently contributed to a collection for firefighting at an event which took place at her home, where 150 guests were present on Tuesday night.</p> <p>Barber on the other hand, has raised over $47 million in less than a week through her fundraising campaign.</p> <p>But the comedian raised the question as to whether billionaires around the world were doing their part.</p> <p>“Remember when Notre Dame burnt down – very sad, don’t get me wrong, RIP Notre Dame, historic building,” she said on Instagram earlier in the week.</p> <p>“And something like billions of dollars were raised, by I think like a handful of people. Where are those people now?</p> <p>“Because I tell you what, every day people are donating $10 here, $10 there, that’s what’s getting us to now $40 million.”</p> <p>She also said the money, which was originally intended for the NSW RFS, would be distributed to various different organisations and families of those killed in the fires.</p> <p><em>OverSixty, its parent company and its owners are donating a total of $200,000 to the Vinnie’s Bushfire Appeal. We have also pledged an additional $100,000 of product to help all those affected by the bushfire crisis. We would love you to support too! Head to the <a rel="noopener" href="https://donate.vinnies.org.au/appeals-nsw/vinnies-nsw-bushfire-appeal-nsw" target="_blank">Vinnie's website</a> to donate.</em></p>

Money & Banking

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Gina Rinehart’s children debut on Forbes rich list

<p>Gina Rinehart’s four children have joined their billionaire mum among the world’s richest people.</p> <p>Forbes latest Billionaires List shows Rinehart’s children – John Hancock, Bianca Rinehart, Ginia Rinehart and Hope Welker – have estimated fortunes of $US1.3 billion each, mainly due to money from a family trust fund which owns 23.45 per cent of their mother’s mining company, Hancock Prospecting.</p> <p>Holding onto 69th spot on the rich list, Gina Rinehart's net worth has risen to $US17.4 billion, thanks to a lift in iron ore prices.</p> <p>She remains Australia’s richest person, with a big lead over nearest rival property developer Harry Triguboff who came in 167th place on the global list with a fortune of $US9.2 billion.</p> <p>Rinehart is also ranked the world’s seventh richest woman, with Alice Walton, daughter of the founder of US retail giant Walmart, taking out the top spot with a fortune estimated to be $US42 billion.</p> <p>The mining mogul’s kids were among 10 Australians making their debut on the rich list.</p> <p>Forty-three Australians made the rich list this year, including Westfield chairman Frank Lowy and casino magnate James Packer.</p> <p>In total the list boasts a record 2208 billionaires whose combined net worth hit $US9.1 trillion.</p> <p>Amazon founder Jeff Bezos topped the list with a worth of $US112 billion, making him the first person to surpass the $US100 billion mark.</p>

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