Olympic swimming legend Dawn Fraser has publicly criticized Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, accusing him of being "spineless" for his silence regarding a satirical segment aired on the national broadcaster ABC. The segment, which appeared on the program "Race Around the World" on July 12, featured a fictional and violent depiction of Australia's richest person, mining magnate Gina Rinehart.
Fraser expressed her dismay in a Facebook post, stating she was "sick to my stomach" that a government-funded network would air such content about a prominent Australian supporter. She directly addressed the Prime Minister, writing, "You are a spineless imbecile Albanese and you get more disgusting as the days go on." Fraser further characterized his inaction as indicative of an "insipid little degenerate."
The controversy stems from a segment where a contestant, Kate McGuinness, joked about a violent attack on Rinehart, referencing "stirring it round, mixing her guts up nice and smooth, to make one big sausage roll."
Hancock Prospecting, Rinehart's company, formally lodged a complaint with the ABC Board on July 23. The company described the content as unacceptable and demanded the episode be removed from all ABC platforms, a public apology be issued to Rinehart, and a full investigation into the segment's commissioning, approval, and broadcast. Hancock stated it had received no substantive response from the ABC Board or senior management.
McGuinness, through the ABC, issued an apology on Thursday, emphasizing that the segment was intended as satire and not as an endorsement of violence. She described her humor as "cartoonish and always satirical" and acknowledged that "jokes do not land with everyone," adding that its purpose was never to be taken literally.