Originally published by Charlotte McIntyre of News24
31.07.2026
Gina Rinehart has launched legal action against the ABC and several senior executives after the national broadcaster refused to apologise or remove a segment which encouraged viewers to sodomise and murder the Hancock Prospecting boss.
News24.com.au can reveal Hancock Prospecting sent extensive legal letters to the ABC’s Chair Kim Williams, Deputy Chair Lisa Caffery and Managing Director Hugh Marks late on Thursday evening.
The legal letters list a series of serious civil and criminal breaches which arise from the Race Around The World program and the ABC’s decision to keep the program live on the national broadcaster’s digital streaming platform.
Hancock Prospecting wrote to Mr Marks one week earlier seeking the removal of the content and an apology, but Mr Marks did not respond.
Instead, on Friday morning, he woke to revelations that he had been personally named in the legal letters, alongside the two most senior ABC board members, Mr Williams and Ms Caffery.
The program, which aired three weeks ago, depicted a French-revolutionary-style violent attack on Ms Rinehart, and encouraged the audience to act “when the revolution comes”.
“Because when the revolution comes will you hide under the bed or will you know exactly how to shove a stick right up Gina Rinehart’s butt hole, stirring it round, mixing her guts up nice and smooth, to make one big sausage roll to make something out of nothing,” the ABC broadcast into family homes around the country.
Mr Marks, who acts as the ABC’s editor-in-chief, not only failed to remove the content but his media team released a statement defending it as “editorially justifiable”.
The ABC released a statement on behalf of the Kate McGuinness, the controversial filmmaker who wrote the film, where she apologised to “anyone I’ve offended”.
Ms McGuinness asked the ABC to publish the statement on her behalf, and it complied: “Race Around The World contestant Kate McGuinness has asked the ABC to share the following statement on her behalf which the ABC supports”.
“The sense of humour featured in each of my films on the Race Around The World program is farcical,” Ms McGuiness said in the statement published to the ABC’s website.
“In no way was it my intention to promote violence. My writing is cartoonish and always satirical. Unfortunately, jokes do not land with everyone. Its purpose was never to be taken literally. I apologise to anyone I’ve offended.”
“The ABC Ombudsman is independently reviewing audience complaints in relation to the 12 July Race Around The World episode in accordance with the ABC’s complaints handling process. The ABC won’t be commenting further while the review is in progress.”
Hancock Prospecting released a statement detailing the decision to take legal action.
“On 23 July 2026, Hancock Prospecting Pty Ltd (Hancock) wrote to the ABC Board regarding the publication and continued publication of material concerning its Executive Chairman, Mrs Gina Rinehart AO,” the statement read.
“Hancock called upon the ABC to immediately remove the material from all ABC platforms, publicly apologise to Mrs Rinehart, and undertake a comprehensive investigation into how the material came to be commissioned, approved and published, together with full accountability for those responsible.
“One week has now elapsed. The ABC’s Board and senior management have provided no substantive public response, nor any substantive response to Hancock or Mrs Rinehart, and have taken no steps to remove the material from ABC platforms, despite widespread public condemnation and the serious risks its publication and continued publication pose to Mrs Rinehart.
“Hancock has now formally placed ABC Chair Kim Williams AM, Deputy Chair Lisa Caffery and Managing Director Hugh Marks on notice of detailed allegations of serious contraventions of multiple Australian criminal and civil laws arising from the ABC’s publication and continued publication of the material.”
An ABC spokesperson told News24.com.au “The ABC has received correspondence from lawyers acting for Ms Rinehart and will respond to it in due course.
“The ABC Ombudsman is independently reviewing audience complaints in relation to the 12 July Race Around the World episode in accordance with the ABC’s complaints handling process.”
A political storm has erupted around the ABC’s decision to stand by the segment and its controversial filmmaker, but not all politicians have been quick to condemn the call to violence.
Acting Prime Minister Richard Marles told News24 the segment was “entirely unacceptable” on Friday, but stopped short of calling for the broadcaster to apologise.
“I haven’t seen this video so I want to make it clear but certainly as it has been described to me from my perspective it sounds completely unacceptable,” Mr Marles said.
After a week of sustained pressure, the ABC has referred the segment to its internal complaints Ombudsman, which Mr Marles described as a “good step”.
“Audience complaints are being reviewed by the Ombudsman’s Office in accordance with the ABC’s complaints handling process,” an ABC spokesperson told News24.com.au.
On Wednesday, Communications Minister Anika Wells also conceded the segment was unacceptable, but maintained that the ABC had editorial independence.
“As the Minister for Communications, I respect the editorial independence of the ABC, but I understand they have now referred it to the Ombudsman,” Ms Wells said.
Under the ABC’s Code of Practice ‘Harm and Offence’ standard, the broadcaster is required to justify content which is likely to cause offence or harm by its editorial context.
It is also required to give audiences appropriate warnings through classification labels or other advice.
While the program was rated MA15+, under this classification it must not include violence or sexual violence which is gratuitous, prolonged or of high impact.
The Australian Communications and Media Authority said it would wait until the result of the ABC’s internal review process before making a decision on whether it should launch its own probe.
“Under Australia’s co-regulatory broadcasting system set out in the Broadcasting Services Act, free-to-air commercial, subscription, community and national broadcasters are given the first opportunity to respond to complaints about alleged breaches of their respective codes of practice,” an ACMA spokesperson told News24.com.au.
“If complainants are dissatisfied with the broadcaster’s response or do not receive a response within the statutory timeframe, complainants may make their complaint to the ACMA.
“The ACMA has confirmed with the ABC that this matter has been referred to the ABC Ombudsman. In line with the co-regulatory framework, it is appropriate that this process be undertaken before the ACMA considers appropriate next steps as the regulator.”
