Gina’s had enough

WA business leader Gina Rinehart has formally placed the ABC on notice over a Race Around The World episode where a contestant made a video fantasising about committing an act of sexualised violence on the billionaire mining magnate.

Mrs Rinehart’s company, Hancock Prospecting, has informed the national broadcaster’s board it will take legal action over the July 12 episode featuring filmmaker Kate McGuinness that was still on its website on Friday.

“Hancock called upon the ABC to immediately remove the material from 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,” it said in a statement on Friday.

“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 take 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 Prospecting, where Mrs Rinehart is executive chair, has given legal notice to ABC chair Kim Williams, deputy chair Lisa Caffery and managing director Hugh Marks, alleging the ABC breached multiple Australian criminal and civil laws by continuing to publish that segment.

The mining company’s legal notice was announced a day after Ms McGuinness asked the ABC to share a statement on her behalf apologising for her four-minute skit of A Very Relaxing Video describing a revolution where a stick is shoved “right up Gina Rinehart’s butt-hole, stirring it round, mixing her guts up nice and smooth, making her into one big sausage roll”.

The comedian issued a statement apologising, stating her “sense of humour” in the program is “farcical”. “In no way was it my intention to promote violence. My writing is cartoonish and always satirical,” it read.

“Unfortunately, jokes do not land with everyone. Its purpose was never to be taken literally.

“I apologise to anyone I’ve offended.”

Communications Minister Anika Wells on Wednesday backed the ABC referring that segment to its independent Ombudsman for review.

“My personal view is it’s unacceptable. Like any Australian, there’s stuff I see on TV that I don’t agree with,” she said.

“As the Minister for Communications, I respect the editorial independence of the ABC but I understand they have now referred it to the Ombudsman.

“I think that was the right thing to do.”

This was hours after former ABC chair Maurice Newman told The West the segment needed to be investigated by the Australian Communications and Media Authority.

The Race Around The World episode was broadcast a week before Insiders broadcast Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young mocking the appearance of Mrs Rinehart in a Sicilian pool, without being criticised by the program’s presenter Patricia Karvelas.

“I saw that . . . one of those images you don’t want in your head,” Senator Hanson-Young said in the televised episode.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s office, as well as his ministers, have this week condemned that Race Around The World segment.

“The ABC has legislated editorial independence and is fully accountable for what it puts to air,” a spokesman said.

“The Government does not condone the video.

“Understandably, many Australians will have found the broadcast inappropriate, offensive and in poor taste.”