Article courtesy of the Sydney Morning Herald.
Our richest Australian, iron ore magnate Gina Rinehart, was among the corporate sector recipients of Australia Day Honours this year with the committee lauding her service to the mining sector and philanthropic efforts. But her successful sports patronage may have been the clincher.
Mrs Rinehart, who oversees the Hancock Prospecting mining empire that helped deliver a fortune estimated at $31 billion last year, and extensive cattle and pastoral interests, has been made an officer (AO) of the Order of Australia.
Her extensive support to Swimming Australia, and more recently to the swimmers themselves through direct funding, was crucial to our recent success at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics said one of the people who should know: Olympic gold medallist Cate Campbell. “I don’t say this lightly, but Gina Rinehart saved swimming,” she told The Australian Financial Review after the Tokyo Olympics.
After sponsors withdrew support for Swimming Australia in response to its poor showing at the London 2012 Olympics, Mrs Rinehart stepped up her funding. “This allowed many athletes myself included to see that there was a future career in swimming for us,” Ms Campbell said.
Mrs Rinehart, who declined to comment on the honours, has also been a big supporter of Volleyball Australia, Rowing Australia, the Royal Flying Doctor Service and charities in Australia and Cambodia.
