Minister for Women Katy Gallagher has condemned the ABC over a controversial segment depicting graphic violence against mining executive Gina Rinehart, declaring that threats of violence against women should never be presented as entertainment.

The remarks mark one of the strongest responses from a senior Albanese government minister since the controversy erupted over a four-minute film broadcast as part of the ABC’s Race Around The World series.

The film, created by activist and filmmaker Kate McGuinness, concluded with a graphic fictional description of violence directed at Ms Rinehart. The broadcast quickly sparked widespread criticism from political figures, commentators and members of the public, while Hancock Prospecting accused the national broadcaster of publishing material that crossed the line from satire into threats of violence.

Speaking about the controversy, Ms Gallagher welcomed the ABC’s decision to refer complaints about the broadcast to the corporation’s independent Ombudsman.

“I welcome the ABC’s decision to refer this to the Ombudsman,” she said.

“It is never appropriate to use threats of violence against women as entertainment.”

Gallagher’s comments place the government’s Minister for Women firmly on record in criticising the nature of the segment, while stopping short of directing the independent public broadcaster on how it should ultimately resolve the matter.

The controversy centres on the ABC program Race Around The World, which aired on 12 July. During the closing moments of the film, McGuinness delivered graphic and violent language directed at Australia’s richest woman.

Following an initial public backlash, the ABC defended the segment, describing it as “editorially justifiable” within the broader context of the program. The broadcaster later announced that complaints would instead be reviewed through its independent Ombudsman process after criticism continued to escalate.

The Ombudsman operates independently from ABC management and reports directly to the ABC Board. Its role includes reviewing complaints about editorial standards and determining whether published content complies with the broadcaster’s editorial policies.

Hancock Prospecting, chaired by Ms Rinehart, has demanded that the ABC remove the segment from all platforms, issue a public apology and conduct a full investigation into how the program was commissioned and approved.

After those requests were not met, the company confirmed it had instructed lawyers to place ABC Chair Kim Williams, Deputy Chair Lisa Caffery and Managing Director Hugh Marks on notice regarding potential legal action. No court proceedings have yet been filed, and the allegations have not been tested in court.

In response, the ABC confirmed it had received correspondence from lawyers acting for Ms Rinehart and said it would respond “in due course”. The broadcaster has maintained that it will not make further public comment while the Ombudsman review remains underway.

The program’s creator, Kate McGuinness, has since apologised for causing offence, saying her comments were intended as satire rather than an incitement to violence.

“I’m sorry to anyone who was hurt or offended,” McGuinness said in a statement released after the backlash intensified, while maintaining the work was intended as political satire.

The controversy has also prompted responses from across the political spectrum.

Communications Minister Anika Wells previously described the content as unacceptable while emphasising that the government respects the ABC’s editorial independence and would not interfere with the broadcaster’s internal complaints process.

Several Coalition politicians have called for the ABC to apologise directly to Ms Rinehart, arguing that similar language directed at other prominent Australian women would never have been tolerated on the national broadcaster.

In recent days, criticism has broadened beyond the original broadcast, with questions raised about the ABC’s editorial oversight and whether its initial defence of the segment was consistent with its own editorial standards. The broadcaster has also faced scrutiny over unrelated editorial controversies, placing additional attention on its internal governance processes.

Supporters of the ABC, however, have argued that complaints should be assessed through the broadcaster’s established editorial review mechanisms rather than through political intervention, noting that the Ombudsman process exists specifically to examine disputed editorial decisions.

The Australian Communications and Media Authority has indicated it is monitoring developments but has not launched its own investigation while the ABC’s internal review remains in progress.

For the Albanese government, Gallagher’s comments also highlight a broader principle that has frequently featured in national discussions about violence against women.

Without commenting on the legal issues surrounding the dispute, the Minister for Women framed her criticism around the broader message that depictions or threats of violence against women should not be treated as entertainment, regardless of the intended satirical context.

As the Ombudsman review continues and Hancock Prospecting considers its next legal steps, the dispute is expected to remain under close public scrutiny, with the outcome likely to influence future debate about the limits of satire, editorial responsibility and freedom of expression on Australia’s publicly funded national broadcaster.