Australian billionaire Gina Rinehart wanted ‘so-called’ portraits ‘permanently disposed of’

“Can u pl[ease] permanently dispose of the 2 so called portraits of me below,” Gina Rinehart wrote to National Gallery chair Ryan Stokes. Photograph: Lukas Coch/AAP

Billionaire mining magnate Gina Rinehart not only wanted two unflattering portraits of her removed from exhibition at the National Gallery of Australia; she wanted them “permanently disposed of”.

According to emails released by the museum under freedom of information laws on Thursday, Rinehart sought the assistance of the NGA’s chair, Ryan Stokes, on 8 April, sending the following email: “Hi Ryan, I know [words redacted] but now that I’m told you’re chair of the national gallery can u pl permanently dispose of the 2 so called portraits of me below.”