Tony Armstrong hit with racial abuse after speaking on Gina Rinehart, Netball Australia controversy

Indigenous footballer turned TV star Tony Armstrong has released a racist and offensive message he received after speaking out against Gina Rinehart.

Armstrong weighed in on the netball sponsorship saga when he was on The Project last Thursday, accusing Ms. Rinehart of using charity to raise her profile, without publicly condemning her late father’s racist comments.

In comments made 38 years ago, Ms. Rinehart’s father and mining magnate Lang Hancock suggested that Aboriginal people should be “sterilized” through the water supply.

That comment prompted the Diamonds players to oppose wearing the mining company Hancock Prospecting logo on their uniforms as part of a $15 million sponsorship deal.

Mr. Armstrong supported the boycott and said he received racist insults as a result, which he shared Tuesday night.

He showed a message that was full of racist utterances including “ab**” and “bo***” and the author of the email called Armstrong “scum” and a “dog.”

Armstrong captioned the photo: ‘This sh** must stop’.

“One thing is certain, however, this is no guna (sic) stop us speaking or getting up.”

Mr. Armstrong revealed the message was sent to his work email at the ABC, where he works as a sports host for ABC News Breakfast.

“Sent to my work email, no less,” he wrote.

Ms Rinehart withdrew her $15 million sponsorship to Netball Australia on October 22 after Diamonds players supported their Indigenous teammate Donnell Wallam, who had initially requested permission not to wear the Hancock logo.

In his appeal to The Project last week, Armstrong said a flurry of media reports had shown widespread support for Ms Rinehart in the saga, pointing to her generous donations to Indigenous charities as proof that she did not share her father’s stance.

Armstrong wrote alongside the hateful message (above) that “this shit must stop” and said the gunk-infested message was sent to his work email

“When pro-Gina media shouted that her actions speak louder than words, they actually mean money talk. Gina throws money at things to win them over,” he said into his piece-to-camera.

“The fact remains that what her father said while at the helm of Hancock Prospecting is without a doubt the worst thing anyone could say about any other race,” he said.

“We black boys are big on telling the truth. So in the spirit of reconciliation, Gina, what do you think of your father’s comments?’

Ms Rinehart’s supporters said she should not be held accountable for comments from her decades ago, and that she had done much to help the welfare of Aboriginal people.

Madalah charity director Clinton Wolf said Ms. Rinehart, through her Roy Hill Community Foundation, is one of his biggest supporters.

“The Roy Hill Community Foundation quickly committed to a multi-year, multi-million dollar funding scheme to ensure that many Indigenous children would now have the opportunity they so desperately needed,” he wrote in the Native Times.

Gina Rinehart (above) has faced harsh criticism after signing a $15 million sponsorship deal with Netball Australia

“Is Madalah concerned about working with Ms. Rinehart and her companies? Absolutely not.

‘Since when do we judge someone for who their parents are or were or what they said?

“While others have criticized her from the sidelines, she acts with a good heart. Actions always speak louder than words.’

Mr. Armstrong also focused on the treatment given to Donnell Wallam.

“A lot of this was presented while she was trying to tear the whole thing down,” he said.

“She didn’t. She had a very understandable problem, she told her teammates, they were moved by what she said and then decided that they would show solidarity.

Rinehart withdrew the deal after Diamonds player Donnell Wallam (right) said she was uncomfortable wearing the Rinehart logo because of racist comments her father made in the 1980s about “breeding” indigenous peoples.

“She didn’t say, ‘I’m trying to burn the tent down’ or anything like that. I feel like that distinction has been completely lost in this and she’s just at the root of something that has almost nothing to do with what she actually did.”

Swimming legend Dawn Fraser was the last female swimmer to support Ms. Rinehart last Wednesday.

Four-time gold medalist Fraser said she feared the billionaire would withdraw much of her philanthropy as a result of this very public controversy.

“I don’t think (the players clearly have this story) and I don’t know the whole story either, but I really can’t understand it, it’s bad for the sport, it’s bad for those girls she said no to,” said they. told 4BC.

“Maybe she’ll stop sponsoring other sports now and I wouldn’t like that to happen to be honest.”