Victorians slam Premier Daniel Andrews amid Netball Australia’s $15m sponsorship deal

Victorian taxpayers have weighed in on Premier Daniel Andrews’ surprise move to fill the gaping $15m hole in Netball Australia’s funding. JOIN THE CONVERSATION

Premier Daniel Andrews’ move to fill the $15m gap left in Netball Australia’s funding amid Gina Rinehart’s sponsorship withdrawal has divided Victorians.

It was revealed on Monday that Victorian taxpayers would instead front the cash as part of a four-year partnership between Visit Victoria and Netball Australia.

The deal, which beat out bids from other states and private investors, will see the Australian Diamonds don Visit Victoria’s branding on its uniform during home and away tests.

Victorian taxpayers would instead front the cash as part of a four-year partnership between Visit Victoria and Netball Australia. Photo: Mark Kolbe

At least five test matches will now be played in Victoria between 2023 and 2026, as well as the 2023 Super Netball grand final.

Ms Rinehart withdrew Hancock Prospecting’s sponsorship deal after players reportedly refused to wear uniforms bearing the company’s logo in the recent series against England.

First Nations player Donnell Wallam cited discomfort over the company’s record on Indigenous issues and previous comments from Ms Rinehart’s father Lang Hancock in 1984.

Gina Rinehart withdrew a $15m sponsorship deal with Netball Australia after players reportedly refused to wear a uniform bearing Hancock Prospecting’s logo. Photo: Supplied

Visit Vctoria put forward a “very competitive” bid for the deal, despite Victoria’s mid-financial-year update revealing the state is on course to record a $9.7bn deficit in 2022-23.

Victorian taxpayers have since weighed in on the new partnership.

Many praised the decision to widely back women’s sports, while others questioned whether $15m could have been spent more wisely on the state’s ailing emergency services.

What our readers think

Michele

The $15 million should have gone to either the major roads full of potholes or the flood victims in regional areas, not a bunch of women. Until Gina Rinehart came along the netballers were in financial strife. Businesses want some return and netball is not a popular sport to watch.Andrews is totally stupid. Who would willingly come to Victoria? Who would come to Victoria because netballers are wearing a “visit Victoria” logo? Any major event was put in place long before Andrews or any Labor government.All of the events have been put together by organisations and businesses or both working in consultation

Dick

DD has money for a national netball team, but not for our Victorian Health system. Just disgraceful.

Eddie

Apart from this 15m being better spent funding hospitals, ambulance, schools, flood victims etc, can you tell me what the hell Victoria tourism is going to gain from Netball Australia crowds to justify this spending …

Shane

Calm down everyone … if your loved one dies because the ambulance doesn’t make it on time, Dan will send you a signed netball to display at the funeral.

Denise

Daniel Andrews $15 million funding the netball team diverted the real news of 33 deaths due to ambulances not arriving. He gets on TV beaming giving our money away and our health system is non existent!Another sweep of under the carpet by Andrews. The girls will wear the Victoria slogan but didn’t want to wear the Rinehart company logo.Shameful, Gina has done more for this country than Daniel Andrews ever will! Andrews destroyed our state!

Matthew

Absolutely disgusting! My tax dollars going towards a sport when people are dying waiting for an ambulance. If we vote Dan in again this state deserves what they get!

Michael

What a disgrace when we have flood victims, Covid mental health victims who could do with taxpayer support. This is a defining moment in the history of DA. Appalling decision

Dawn

This is an appalling decision. If Netball Australia are too precious to accept money from Gina Rinehart because of something her father said 50 years ago then why should we give them money?

Michael

The next person who dies waiting for an ambulance or on the waiting list for surgery will thank you Dan for your disgusting opportunism

David

Given the massive level of debt and interest rates going up, this is completely crazy. When Gina pulled the money out, I said to my Husband that DD might pick up the tab with taxpayers money. Exactly that has happened, I am not surprised in the slightest but this is getting crazy. Victoria, the place to flee. Remember this November.

Zoe

A state Government providing sponsorship to a National Team, especially one that is so far in debt and has its own citizens struggling with the huge increase in the cost of living! Surely Netball Australia can see this is only a political stunt to an upcoming election! Netball Australia should hang their heads in shame!

CGI

One cannot but feel nothing but utter contempt for Dan and his adoring wokes.....$15 million spent on a group of self indulgent minority who play a sport no one is interested in. All this while people sleep on our streets, our health system in crisis and a public debt which makes Agentina look good! Whenever they play, support ABTD … Anyone But The Diamonds.

Diane

I see a lot of anger directed at Dan Andrews, but none where it truly belongs. Here we have a group of spoiled, selfish sports women who are happy to take funding away from the sick (hospitals), children (education) and elderly (state run aged care homes). If they don’t reject this funding immediately, I will never watch netball again

Pete

We have people rough sleeping in cars, hospitals struggling to keep up with operations, ambulance wait times going through the roof, 27 year old fire trucks, families struggling to pay their gas/electricity bills and even not able to put enough food in the table. I’m sure Netball Australia is comfortable knowing they are accepting this $15 million that could easily help Victorians struggling in life so that their select few can toss a ball around a netball court. Shame on our premier and Netball Australia.

Bruno

What an absolute kick in the teeth for the rest of us …

Ian Maxwell

When did Dan get the approval from the public to spend $15 mil of Netball? It’s only a sport with little following. That will comeback to haunt him in a few weeks. It’s our money Dan not yours to spend to boost your own ego. Did you check with these woke players if they want to wear Victoria logo on their uniforms? I am sure there must be something wrong with it. Lucky it wasn’t Tassie that rescued them. a map of Tassie would surely set them off!!! Any other policy that requires a plebacite of voters not one made by pollies. You must be joking Dan

Ron

The government reneged on $400,000 to police veterans but can suddenly find $15 mill for a sport?

Vic taxpayers fill Rinehart’s $15m Netball Australia black hole

Victorian taxpayers have come to the rescue of Australia’s netballers, filling the $15m black hole left by Gina Rinehart’s sponsorship withdrawal.

Ms Rinehart’s mining company, Hancock Prospecting, sensationally tore up its sponsorship deal with Netball Australia more than a week ago following reports of a uniform boycott.

Premier Daniel Andrews said the sponsorship deal between Visit Victoria and Netball Australia resulted from Ms Rinehart’s withdrawal.

“Obviously, there was a sponsor, that sponsor was no more so there was a gap and then Visit Victoria raced to fill it,” he said.

Mr Andrews said other states and private investors were competing for the deal, but Victoria “seized the chance” and put forward a “very competitive” bid.

“We didn’t waste any time,” he said.

“We have worked very, very hard to secure the sponsorship.

“It just makes sense that the best netball team in the world will be sponsored by the best state in our nation.”

The Premier stood by the $15m deal, despite Victoria’s mid-financial-year update revealing the state is on course to record a $9.7bn deficit in 2022-23.

The four-year partnership will see the Australian Diamonds showcase the Visit Victoria branding on its uniform during both home and away tests.

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews. Picture: Luis Ascu

The team will play at least five test matches in Victoria between 2023 and 2026, with the 2023 Super Netball grand final to also be played in Victoria.

Mr Andrews said the sponsorship deal was a major “coup” for the state.

“To be able to have the world’s very best netball team wearing our logo, projecting all that we offer to the world and to the rest of our country, is absolutely fantastic,” he said.

“Other states wanted this but Visit Victoria worked very quickly and very well.”

However, the Premier would not be drawn on which states had also thrown their hat in the ring for the deal.

He added that it was a “big win” for Victorian jobs and the state’s tourism sector.

“It’s all about inviting more and more guests to come stay here,” he said.

“If you don’t advertise, no one knows what you’ve got to offer.”

Under the deal, players and coaches will be involved in campaigns to promote Victoria as a tourism destination.

Players will also encourage participation in the sport through community initiatives, especially among culturally diverse communities.

Diamonds Captain Liz Watson, who hails from Victoria, said the team learnt of the deal on Monday morning and were “delighted”.

“I think everyone is excited that we’ve got this amazing opportunity ahead of us,” Watson said.

“It’s going to be huge for our state.”

Diamonds Captain Liz Watson. Picture: Bradley Kanaris

Netball Australia CEO Kelly Ryan said the deal with the state government was “unlike any that we’ve done before” and was “very different” to the support offered from the mining company.

“(The deal) with the Victorian government … was really strongly aligned with where we want to take the sport,” Mr Ryan said.

Shadow Treasurer David Davis said the Coalition, if elected next month, would honour the deal.

“Although this taxpayer deal was announced the day prior to caretaker (period), I can confirm that we are not in the business of ripping up contracts and we will be honouring this sponsorship agreement should we be elected to government,” Mr Davis said.

“While the Netball Australia sponsorship is not undeserved, with $167.5bn of debt and the deficit blowing out by another $1.8bn this year, many people will be wondering why Daniel Andrews is able to fund netball, but can’t properly fund essential services such as health and fixing triple-0.”

Liberal MP Bev McArthur said the deal was a “disgrace”.

“Private investors … should be coughing up the funding, not taxpayers sweating rising living costs and interest rates,” Mrs McArthur said.

Liberal Democrat MP David Limbrick said the deal proved neither Labor nor the Coalition were committed to paying back the state’s debt.

“(The deal) demonstrates that neither major party is serious about cutting spending and reducing the massive debt,” Mr Limbrick said.

“At this rate, everyone in Victoria will be a public servant.

“This won’t be good for the sport because Netball Australia is likely to become overburdened by bureaucracy.

“Market signals are good for sports, because it means they have to become more attractive to viewers.”

Donnell Wallam. Picture: Mark Evans/Getty Images

Ms Rinehart pulled the plug on Hancock Prospecting’s sponsorship deal after players reportedly refused to wear uniforms bearing the company’s logo in the recent series against England.

The team had rallied around Indigenous player Donnell Wallam, who cited discomfort over the company’s record on Indigenous issues.

Ms Rinehart’s father Lang Hancock in 1984 called for the “sterilisation” of First Nations people.

“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.

“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.”