Netball Australia slammed for signing multi-million dollar deal with Gina Rinehart

Sharni Norder has joined a chorus of players and fans to express their outrage over Netball Australia’s decision to accept money from Gina Rinehart. Here’s why they’re angry.

The head of a consortium whose private equity offer to Netball Australia was rejected has reacted with outrage at the sporting body accepting sponsorship from a mining organisation he says is “destroying Australian land (and) creating harm to the climate (and) increasing emissions”.

Mental Health Australia chair and managing partner of RealVC Venture fund Matt Berriman took to social media to express his outrage on Thursday morning after Netball Australia confirmed Hancock Prospecting had joined as a principal partner until the end of 2025.

Berriman’s frustration is being shared by many fans on social media channels, as well as figures including former Diamonds captain Sharni Norder.

As revealed by News Corp on Wednesday night, Gina Rinehart has thrown Netball Australia a multimillion-dollar lifeline with Hancock Prospecting directly backing national team the Diamonds.

The move was slammed by Berriman, who headed up a consortium representing a tier 1 global private equity group which had proposed a $6.5 million buyout of the Super Netball competition to ensure the future of the cash-strapped sport.

“So won’t even engage with a credible team, that were willing to pay more than $6.5m for Super Netball & (sic) offered to invest into NA directly,” he posted to Twitter after the governing body released a statement confirming the Hancock Prospecting deal.

“Yet take money from Gina who’s destroying Australian land & creating harm to the climate & increasing emissions. Am I missing something?”

Hancock Prospecting has joined the Diamonds as a principal partner. Picture: Mike Egerton

Norder, also a Sports Environment Alliance ambassador, was another to hit out at NA’s link with a mining company.

Norder, who called on NA to sell Super Netball when its financial woes became apparent earlier this year and was a supporter of the Berriman proposal, was scathing of the deal in a post to her 31,000 Twitter followers.

“As a proud @SEA_theChange ambassador, it’s unacceptable to put our brand alongside an open climate denier,” Norder said, quoting Netball Australia’s social media post trumpeting the deal.

“We have put too much into our sport to give social license to a company who’s (sic) profit at all cost attitude puts our future in danger. Be better”

As a proud @SEA_theChange ambassador, it's unacceptable to put our brand alongside an open climate denier. We have put too much into our sport to give social license to a company who's profit at all cost attitude puts our future in danger. Be better https://t.co/3K6L7UDlhn

— Sharni Norder (@SharniNorder) September 29, 2022

So won’t even engage with a credible team, that were willing to pay more then $6.5m for Super Netball & offered to invest into NA directly. Yet take money from Gina who’s destroying Australian land & creating harm to the climate & increasing emissions. Am I missing something?

— Matt Berriman (@mattyberriman) September 28, 2022

Berriman’s group had proposed an immediate $4.5m payment for the right to run the Super Netball competition, as well as two further $1m injections over the next two years to support the Diamonds and grassroots programs.

Netball Australia chief executive Kelly Ryan warmly welcomed Hancock Prospecting, Rinehart, and the partnership, which, she says will allow the sport to maintain its position as the cornerstone of women’s sport in the country.

“This is a major investment for our sport, and is a huge contribution towards the ongoing success of the Diamonds,” Ryan said.

“We are incredibly grateful to this leading Australian private company, Hancock Prospecting, for its significant support and partnership.”

NA has lost more than $7m over the past two years, mostly due to costs associated with Super Netball hubs during the pandemic, and was issued with a “going concern” notice earlier this year due to apprehension around its ability to service its $4m debt.

The multimillion-dollar partnership with Hancock Prospecting will help but given it is earmarked specifically for the Diamonds, it does not solve NA’s dire financial issues.

Gina Rinehart has thrown Netball Australia a multimillion-dollar lifeline. Picture: Getty Images

The immediate cash injection from Berriman’s consortium would have wiped NA’s debt but left it without equity in Super Netball, its most precious asset, the best elite competition in the world.

NA had gone public with its perilous financial position earlier this year ahead of selling off the grand final to the West Australian government.

But the organisation refused to engage with Berriman’s consortium, which included former Diamonds captain Liz Ellis, leaving Berriman disappointed in a lack of “genuine, good faith engagement”.

His disappointment turned to frustration and anger on Thursday after the Hancock deal was confirmed.

The Hancock Prospecting deal, which funds the Diamonds program directly, investing in the athletes and coaches and providing funding support for training camps and competitions, continues Rinehart’s backing of Olympic sports including swimming, volleyball, synchronised swimming and rowing.

Originally published as Netball Australia slammed for signing multi-million dollar deal with Gina Rinehart