Victorian government steps in to sponsor Netball Australia

The move comes as Gina Rinehart’s Hancock Prospecting withdrew its own $15m sponsorship following a player protest over the partnership. 

The Australian players cheer as Amy Parmenter of Australia is presented the player of the match award during game two of the International Test series between the Australia Diamonds and the England Roses. Picture: Mark Kolbe/Getty

The move comes as Gina Rinehart’s Hancock Prospecting withdrew its own $15m sponsorship following a player protest over the partnership. 

The Victorian government has handed Netball Australia a $15m lifeline after the national team lost its major sponsor over "sportswashing" claims.

The Andrews government has committed the money over four-and-a-half years after Gina Rinehart’s Hancock Prospecting withdrew its own $15m sponsorship following player protest over the partnership. 

The team was angered by historical comments about Indigenous Australians made by the company’s founder, the late Lang Hancock. It was reportedly spurred by unease from player Donnell Wallam, who became the third Indigenous person to join the Diamonds’ line-up behind Marcia Ella-Duncan and Sharon Finnan-White this month. 

These private concerns from Ms Wallam turned into a public scrum, and without the massive monetary injection, the future of the game was thrown into question.

As announced by Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews on Monday, the Diamonds will now showcase Visit Victoria branding on their playing strips for both home and away tests, with players and coaches to be included in promotional tourism campaigns. 

Premier Andrews said the deal was a major coup for the state. 

“Other states wanted this (but) Visit Victoria worked very quickly, and very well,” Mr Andrews said.

“We've already supported netball very, very strongly. We know how important that is. And 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. 

“From a grassroots level, all the way through to attracting more and more visitors to our state tourism is such an important part of the Victorian economy.

“(It is) great for jobs, great for investment, and obviously fantastic for netball and female participation.

“It is unique, it's absolutely fantastic, and a really big win for Victorian jobs and our tourism sector.”

Netball Australia CEO Kelly Ryan, who raised concerns over Netball Australia's financial position following the fallout, said the investment would "benefit all levels of netball - from our pathway system to the Suncorp Super Netball League and the Origin Australian Diamonds".

In an interview on Channel Nine last week, Ms Ryan said it was "very disappointing to lose this funding that was going to help accelerate us forward".

"There's an important role that sports organisations do play … to create a safe environment to have really strong social conversations. But there needs to be a balance in terms of the commercial realities of that, to make sure you continue to invest in the future of your sport," she said.

When Hancock Prospecting terminated the partnership, it said it had “not been made aware” of ­issues between Netball Australia and the Players Association and did “not wish to add to netball’s disunity problems”.

A spokesman for billionaire Gina Rinehart’s company also criticised athletes for “virtue signalling”

“There are more targeted and genuine ways to progress social or political causes without virtue signaling or for self-publicity,” the statement read.

“For example, the meaningful engagement with local Indigenous communities undertaken by Hancock’s Roy Hill Community Foundation in Western Australia to support their actual needs.”

As the off-field drama unfolded last week, Mrs Rinehart found support among Aboriginal leaders this week, including Indigenous senators Jacinta Nampijinpa Price and Jacqui Lambie. They claimed the “picky” and “woke” Diamonds left Mrs Rinehart no choice.

The announcement from the Andrews Government comes with the November 26 state election looming.

Read more: Racism allegations rock Netball Australia