Australian Diamonds netballers won’t play in Gina Rinehart uniform over her climate change views
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Woke Australian netballers cause chaos after REFUSING to play in uniform with the company of Australia’s richest woman Gina Rinehart – for refusing to acknowledge climate change
- Diamonds don’t wear match day gear sponsored by mining magnate Gina Rinehart
- Australia’s richest woman gave $15 million in sponsorship through 2025
- Ex-Captain Sharni Layton believes Rinehart’s company collectively ‘isn’t on the same page’
- Rinehart previously stated that climate change is ‘man-made’, sparking controversy
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Australian netball players have attracted attention after refusing to wear a match uniform sponsored by mining magnate Gina Rinehart.
The country’s richest woman will not formally acknowledge climate change – and the Diamonds have reacted collectively ahead of their second Constellation Cup game against New Zealand.
It comes despite the fact that Rinehart’s company – Hancock Prospecting – is sponsoring Stacey Marinkovich’s team to the tune of $15 million through the end of 2025.
The multi-year commitment didn’t stop the defiant Diamonds from wearing an old strip during their opening defeat on Wednesday.
With game two in Tauranga on Sunday, it remains to be seen whether Rinehart’s company – which she inherited from her late father Lang Hancock – will appear on the iconic green-and-gold kit when the Diamonds grace the field.
Australian netball players have caused chaos after refusing to wear a match uniform sponsored by mining magnate Gina Rinehart (pictured, goal strike Steph Wood)
It comes despite Gina Rinehart’s company – Hancock Prospecting – sponsoring Stacey Marinkovich’s team in the amount of $15 million through the end of 2025
Former captain Sharni Layton believes that Rinehart’s company does not fit the values of the Diamonds players.
“This is a company (Hancock Prospecting) that doesn’t fit with Netball Australia’s values,” Layton reportedly told the current playgroup.
“We’ve always stood up for social justice, we’ve always been against gambling, no smoking.
‘Long Hancock’s past and what he said about the Indigenous peoples just isn’t suited to Australian sport. Netball Australia has always tried to be inclusive… and we now have Donnell (Wallam) on the team.
“This is not a respectful course of action and even if (native star) Donnell wasn’t on the team we need to do better.
“I did a zoom with the players to teach them to do well in the sport, but also to respect their own values.”
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Layton also questioned the current diamond crop whether “money was more important than personal reputation” before emphasizing the importance of “making good decisions for oneself.”
Marinkovich feels her team needs to adapt to the physical approach of the Kiwis.
“We haven’t played in New Zealand for a while. If we adapt to their defence, we can certainly rectify that,” she said.
“We really trust our game plan. We don’t change much. We just have to adapt and go with what lies ahead.’