’Call him out’: Elites pushed to step in over Netball Australia sponsorship debacle

As the fallout from Netball Australia’s failed sponsorship deal with Gina Rinehart grows, attention is turning to who can save the sport.

Some of the richest people on the planet have been personally called out by activists who believe they have an obligation to save Netball Australia.

In recent days the sporting organisation has been engulfed by controversy after it emerged that Diamonds players were concerned about wearing a team uniform that included sponsorship branding from Gina Rinehart’s company Hancock Prospecting.

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It is understood Indigenous player Donnell Wallam did not feel comfortable wearing a uniform with the logo as a result of shocking comments made by Ms Rinehart’s father Lang Hancock in the 1980s, when he infamously suggested that Indigenous Australians should be sterilised to “breed themselves out” in coming years.

Gina Rinehart’s company backtracked on the sponsorship deal over the weekend.

After a tumultuous week, Hancock Prospecting eventually announced over the weekend that it had decided to “regrettably withdraw” its proposed $15 million partnerships with Netball Australia and Netball WA as a result of the branding furore, leaving the sporting organisation “disappointed” and “reasonably concerned” about its financial future.

Following the sponsorship deal collapse, attention is now turning to other big names who could potentially pick up the tab, with Netball Australia supporters claiming wealthy elites had a duty to intervene.

I agree.
Compare the pair.
Gina's business pays 30% tax
Cannon-Brookes' Atlassian paid 9.76% tax

Call him out...or suggest he sponsor Netball Australia.

Like Rinehart (& Forrest) or not, both have businesses that pay the full 30% company tax. pic.twitter.com/jgFL4dtafY

— Catriona Thoolen ⚛️ (@cat240359) October 23, 2022

Taking to Twitter, Victorian MP and Reason party leader Fiona Patten asked: “Why aren’t renewable companies knocking on Netball Australia’s door? Or Tesla? $15 million is back of the sofa coin for Musk”.

Fellow Twitter user Catriona Thoolen also weighed in, personally calling on the Australian founders of tech juggernaut Atlassian, Scott Farquhar and Mike Cannon-Brookes, to step in.

She also separately called on billionaire and activist Simon Holmes a Court to help “fill the gap”.

“I agree. Compare the pair. Gina’s business pays 30 per cent tax. Cannon-Brookes’ Atlassian paid 9.76 per cent tax. Call him out … or suggest he sponsor Netball Australia,’ she wrote.

There are growing calls for tech billionaires like Elon Musk to step in. Picture: Angela Weiss/AFP

Atlassian co-CEOs Mike Cannon-Brookes and Scott Farquhar have also been tapped on the shoulder. Picture: Atlassian

“Like Rinehart (& Forrest) or not, both have businesses that pay the full 30 per cent company tax.”

“

Why aren’t renewable companies knocking on Netball Australia’s door?
Or Tesla? $15 million is back of the sofa coin for Musk #outsiders#netball

— Fiona Patten MP (@FionaPattenMLC) October 22, 2022

And Aussie sports reporter Mark Gottlieb also joined the discussion, pointing out that it was a “pretty huge opportunity for any climate focused organisations to sponsor Netball Australia. You’d get a lot more publicity in the current news cycle than any other advertising/sponsorship campaign”.

It comes as The Australian’s media editor Nick Tabakoff claimed that the Rinehart saga has “already led to some of the major sponsors of sport in Australia to re-evaluate their involvement”.

Sponsorship expert Paul Kind told the columnist that many corporations would think twice before sponsoring teams in future out of fear of a similar controversy arising.

“The positive intent of Gina Rinehart’s decision to invest in a sport that was financially struggling was being undermined by the public discussion,” Mr Kind told the publication.

“It only takes a single player of influence to make a stand – and then, in conservative sports like cricket or netball, it becomes almost untenable. In investing in sports, companies are looking for community goodwill as a result of their investment in the sport.

“If they don’t get that, it’s not surprising they walk away.”

Meanwhile, The Australian separately reports that Netball Australia is now facing a “sponsorship crisis” to the tune of $25 million if other spooked sponsors were to also backtrack.

There are fears Netball Australia could face a sponsor exodus. Picture: Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images

“It could potentially turn into a $25m problem in the near future,” a netball source told the publication.

Netball Australia chief executive Kelly Ryan also confirmed that the organisation had been $4 million in the red and that it would likely have to look into cost cutting in the future.

Just four moths ago, in June, Netball Australia was issued a “going concern” notice from auditors after losing a whopping $7.2 million in just two years.

In the announcement confirming the end of the sponsorship deal, Hancock Prospecting said it had “not been made aware” of the issues between Netball Australia and the Players Association and did “not wish to add to Netball’s disunity problems”.

In a second, lengthy statement, the company also took aim at so-called “virtue signalling”.

“Hancock and its executive chairman Mrs Rinehart consider that it is unnecessary for sports organisations to be used as the vehicle for social or political causes,” it read.

“Firstly, because sport is at its best when it is focused on good and fair competition, with dedicated athletes striving for excellence to achieve their sporting dreams and to represent our country at their very best.

“Secondly, because there are more targeted and genuine ways to progress social or political causes without virtue signalling or for self-publicity … Thirdly, because there are more impactful means to make a beneficial difference.”