Dawn Fraser Speaks Out Over ABC Program Featuring Gina Rinehart: ‘It Made Me Sick to My Stomach’
Olympic legend voices her disappointment
Australian swimming icon Dawn Fraser has publicly criticised an ABC program that featured a satirical segment about mining billionaire Gina Rinehart, saying the broadcast left her deeply upset.
In a strongly worded Facebook post, the four-time Olympic gold medallist described the content as “vile” and questioned why Australia’s national broadcaster aired the segment.
“I am sick to my stomach,” Fraser wrote, expressing her disappointment over what she viewed as an unacceptable portrayal of one of Australia’s most prominent business figures.
‘I am sick to my stomach to think we have a government-funded network showing vile pieces to air about one of Australia’s greatest supporters, Gina Rinehart, and our vile Prime Minister has not come out and condemned the content,’ she wrote.
The ABC segment at the centre of the controversy
The criticism centres on an episode of the ABC series Race Around the World, which follows six Australian filmmakers travelling across 10 countries over 100 days.
During the July 12 episode, contestant Kate McGuinness presented a fictional satirical piece that referenced Gina Rinehart.
The segment included graphic language involving the mining executive, prompting widespread criticism from Hancock Prospecting, Rinehart’s company.
Hancock Prospecting demands action
On July 23, Hancock Prospecting lodged a formal complaint with the ABC Board, arguing that the material was unacceptable.
The company called on the broadcaster to:
- Remove the episode from all ABC platforms.
- Issue a public apology to Gina Rinehart.
- Conduct a full investigation into how the segment was commissioned, approved and broadcast.
Hancock Prospecting later said it had not received a substantive response from either the ABC Board or senior management in the week following its complaint.
Fraser stands by her views
While McGuinness has apologised, Fraser has continued to express concern over the decision to broadcast the segment in the first place.
The Olympic great said she believes Gina Rinehart deserves greater respect for her longstanding support of Australian sport and other community initiatives.
Her comments have added another high-profile voice to the growing debate surrounding the ABC program, with discussion continuing over the balance between satire, creative expression and public responsibility.