Billionaire Ryan Stokes, Rinehart families gather for first post-pandemic fundraiser

The heavily pregnant Claire Stokes and her media tycoon husband Ryan were among a crowd of Sydney’s who’s who at a charity gala event in Sydney, Annette Sharp reveals.

A heavily pregnant Claire Stokes and her media tycoon husband Ryan were among Sydney A-Listers to draw a noble post-pandemic line in the sand in the interests of philanthropy at a gala dinner event in Sydney on Friday night.

Stokes, whose second child with the Seven West chief executive is due in weeks, joined lower profile brother-in-law Bryant and his wife Dominique at the dinner, the two couples representing padre and Australian War Memorial chairman Kerry, whose health has been a source of widespread interest since the 80-year-old mogul was granted a health department exemption to quarantine at home “on medical grounds” following his return from Colorado in 2020.

The Soldier On Black Tie Gala raised a whopping $1.6 million for Soldier On, a not-for-profit organisation that raises funds and supports families from the Australian Defence Forces and National Securities Agencies.

Claire and Ryan Stokes when she was pregnant with their first child in 2019. Picture: Liam Kidston

Dominique and Bryant Stokes were also guests at the Sydney gala fundraiser.

The vast bulk of the monies raised — a $1 million pledge — came from an anonymous donor which, given the room, was likely one of two billionaires; either war memorabilia collector Stokes or mining magnate Gina Rinehart who attended with her daughter Ginia and son-in-law Simon Robinson, a Nambour-raised army recruit who joined the Rineharts’ private security detail before falling for and marrying Ginia.

Among other high profile guests were John and Janette Howard, Peter Dutton, GG David Hurley, Dr Brendan Nelson and Alan Jones.

A threatened “nip slip” wardrobe malfunction by Ellie Aitken, wife of fund manager Charlie, gave this columnist, at long last, a sense of what all the fuss might be about concerning the fashionable and often feted Aitkens.

Ellie made headlines in 2016 when the glamorous but little-known blonde — though married to Aitken — accompanied Russell Crowe to a pre-Oscars’ party in LA.