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Tasmanian senator Jacqui Lambie has slammed “picky” Australian netballers, saying they have “cooked the golden egg” after blowing the generous $15m sponsorship deal from Hancock Prospecting.

“Those girls are going to be doing a lot of sausage sizzles at Bunnings and a lot of chook raffles,” Senator Lambie said.

“I think one should have been grateful they were getting the money.

“At times you are just going to have to suck it up, unless you find someone else to pick up that tab.”

Senator Lambie defended Gina Rinehart’s Hancock Prospecting , revealing Ms Rinehart “spent $300m on Indigenous programs in the past seven years”.

“I was at a function four weeks ago, she was on the same table, (she) flew an Aboriginal woman and her mother in from the Pilbara for an awards night. This is what she does in private and no-one sees that,” she said.

“She has a commitment to Indigenous people because many Indigenous people work for her.”