Billionaire mining magnate Gina Rinehart not only wanted two unflattering portraits of her removed from exhibition at the National Gallery of Australia<\/a>; she wanted them \u201cpermanently disposed of\u201d.<\/p>\n

According to emails released by the museum under freedom of information laws on Thursday, Rinehart sought the assistance of the NGA\u2019s chair, Ryan Stokes, on 8 April, sending the following email: \u201cHi Ryan, I know [words redacted] but now that I\u2019m told you\u2019re chair of the national gallery can u pl permanently dispose of the 2 so called portraits of me below.\u201d<\/p>\n

Included in the email chain were images of two portraits of Rinehart by award-winning Western Aranda artist Vincent Namatjira, which were part of his solo Australia in Colour exhibition that had opened at the NGA a month earlier.<\/p>\n

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  Stokes wasted no time responding to Rinehart\u2019s request, forwarding her email to the NGA\u2019s director, Nick Mitzevich, the same day with the added note: \u201cNick\u2013 here is an interesting one \u2026 not sure entirely how we will respond but we will need to think about it \u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

  Within the hour Mitzevich had drafted an email suggesting Stokes respond to Rinehart with the following: \u201cDear Gina, Perhaps what might be helpful is if the Director of the National Gallery speak with someone you nominate to discuss the context and possible options.\u201d<\/p>\n

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