Gina Rinehart’s estranged son John Hancock questions Barnaby Joyce’s ‘judgment’

Gina Rinehart’s estranged son John Hancock has weighed in on the Barnaby Joyce saga, saying the deputy PM is a “danger’’ to Australia.

Senator Barnaby Joyce with Gina Rinehart at a business function in Brisbane. Picture: Sam Mooy

Australian billionaire Gina Rinehart’s estranged son John Hancock has weighed in on the Barnaby Joyce scandal, saying the Deputy Prime Minister was making “poor judgments” and was “dangerous to Australia’’.

Mr Hancock said the Nationals leader had shown poor judgment previously when trying to pressure his sister Hope to drop her litigation case against Gina Rinehart.

“He made a rash move then, involving himself in matters he knew little about, and hasn’t apologised,” Mr Hancock said in emailed comments to The Australian.

“I think adding pressure to very tense litigation was an appalling judgment and he seems to be making similar poor judgments — accepting then handing back a $40,000 prize from Gina, a free house to live in, the list goes on.”

Mr Hancock told The Australian he was a Coalition voter and supported Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and deputy Liberal leader Julie Bishop.

“Barnaby needs to go ... Australia simply deserves better, and we can do better, surely,” he said.

Mr Joyce engaged in the personal Rinehart family legal battle in September 2011, when he wrote to Hope that Australia needs “strong families”.

Gina Rinehart’s estranged son John Hancock. Picture: Sam Mooy

In a series of tweets overnight Mr Hancock said Mr Joyce was “dangerous to Australia’’ and should quit.

he is a person willing to act without considering the consequences, time and time again. Time to go, Barnaby, and don't come running to Hancock for a job after the people wise up to you.

— john (@john05970496) February 13, 2018

In his letter to Hope, Mr Joyce explained his own family history and his decision to leave the family business to marry the girl he loved.

“I used to live in New England. My parents are well off, not like yours obviously, but multi-millionaires none the less,’’ Mr Joyce wrote. “I left the family business, was offered an ultimatum that I could not accept to be honest, leave your girlfriend or leave.

“When I got married one side of the church was packed, that was my wife’s, the other side fitted onto two pews. The wedding photos are not on display in my house.

“Hope it is not my business but can I offer just an idea. Who really loves you, who misses you, who would give everything and beg for more if your life depended on it because you are Ginny’s sister and Gina’s daughter? Alternatively, who has a motivation and a business based on stirring people up, telling people they can win things, telling people they can get more money and billing them for their grief. Hope believe me, such a practise has been going on a long time — it is their very business.

“You are a family Australia needs. All good families have their problems but before it gets really out of hand, I would try and get it back in house and out of public view,” Mr Joyce concluded.

Mr Joyce sent the e-mail in 2011 when he was opposition spokesman for regional development, local government and water and not a cabinet minister.

Hope had originally sided with her older siblings in the dispute with their mother but later pulled out of the legal battle following a $45 million loan from her mother.

Gina Rinehart has long been a vocal supporter of Mr Joyce and presented him with a $40,000 cheque last November alongside an award at an event put on by her company Hancock Prospecting at the Australian War Memorial to celebrate the agriculture industry.

Gina Rinehart handed him a National Agricultural and Related Industries prize and said the Deputy Prime Minister was a “champion of farming.”

A bewildered Mr Joyce accepted the award on stage but then scrambled to hand the money back.

The Australian has approached Gina Rinehart for comment.