View source for Kerry Stokes

{{short description|Australian businessman (born 1940)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2020}}
{{Use Australian English|date=November 2016}}
{{Infobox person
| name         = Kerry Stokes
| honorific_suffix = {{postnominals|country=AUS|size=100%|AC}}
| image        = 
| imagesize    =
| caption      = 
| birth_date   = {{birth date and age|1940|9|13|df=y}} 
| birth_place  = [[Melbourne]], [[Victoria, Australia]]
| birth_name   = John Patrick Alford
| death_date   =
| death_place  =  
| education    = 
| occupation   = Businessman
| years active = 1960–present 
| boards       = {{ubl|[[Australian Capital Equity]] (Chair)|[[Seven Group Holdings]] (Chair)|{{no wrap|[[Seven Network]] (Chair)}}|[[Seven Media Group]] (Chair)|[[Seven West Media]] (Chair)|{{nowrap|[[Australian War Memorial]] (Chair)}}}}
| employer     =  
| credits      =  
| mother       =
| father       = 
| spouse       = {{ubl|{{marriage|Dorothy Ebert|1960|1970|end=div}}|{{marriage|Denise Stokes<br>||1988|end=div}}|{{marriage|[[Peta Toppano]]|1992|1995|end=div}}|{{marriage|Christine Simpson<br>|1996}}}}
| children     = 4
| website      =  
| footnotes    = <ref name=facts>{{cite news |author=Aiton, Doug |url=https://thenewdaily.com.au/entertainment/books/2015/02/13/25-things-didnt-know-kerry-stokes/ |title=25 facts you didn't know about Kerry Stokes |work=[[The New Daily]] |date=13 February 2015 |access-date=23 December 2020 }}</ref><ref name=knox>{{cite news |author=Knox, Malcolm |url=https://www.smh.com.au/national/billionaires-forgotten-family-speaks-out-20131018-2vr1f.html |title=Billionaire's 'forgotten' family speaks out |work=[[Sydney Morning Herald]] |date=18 October 2013 |access-date=23 December 2020 }}</ref>
}} 
'''Kerry Matthew Stokes''' (born '''John Patrick Alford''' on 13 September 1940) is an Australian businessman. He holds business interests in industries including electronic and print media, property, mining and construction equipment. He is most widely known as the chairman of the [[Seven Network]], one of the largest broadcasting corporations in Australia.

Appointed an Officer of the [[Order of Australia]] (AO) in 1995,<ref name=AO>{{Cite It's an Honour |ausawardid=870934 |date=26 January 1995 |recipient=Mr Kerry Matthew STOKES |award=Officer of the Order of Australia |postnominal=AO |citation=For service to business and commerce, to the arts, and to the community. |access-date=22 December 2020 }}</ref> Stokes was appointed a Companion of the Order of Australia (AC) in 2006 in recognition of his contributions to Australian business, strategic leadership, promotion of corporate social responsibility, to the arts through philanthropy, and to the community, most especially those services supporting young people.<ref name=AC>{{Cite It's an Honour |ausawardid=113858 |date=26 January 2006 |recipient=Mr Kerry Matthew STOKES |award=Companion of the Order of Australia |postnominal=AC |citation=For service to business and commerce through strategic leadership and promotion of corporate social responsibility, to the arts through executive roles and philanthropy, and to the community, particularly through contributions to organisations supporting youth. |access-date=22 December 2020 }}</ref>

==Early life==
John Patrick Alford was born in [[Melbourne]], [[Victoria (state)|Victoria]]. His unmarried mother was Marie Jean Alford. Stokes was adopted by Matthew and Irene Stokes and grew up in [[Royal Park, Melbourne#History|Camp Pell]], a slum housing area.<ref name=facts/> He later dropped out of school at age 14. In June 2000, Stokes told the ''[[ABC News (Australia)|ABC]]'',<ref>{{cite journal |first=John |last=Birmingham |title=The Outsider |journal=[[The Monthly]] |date=April 2006 |pages=40–46 }}</ref> "My background was very difficult, very hard and I wouldn't wish that on anybody. I had lots of different occupations and obviously lots of different experiences. I had some time on the street, and sometimes, work was very difficult. Australia, in that period of time, wasn't a place where you could actually easily go and get a job, it was difficult, and we went where there was work available".

==Career==
Stokes' first reported job was to install television antennas in [[Perth]], followed by a sustained period in property development throughout the 1960s and 1970s. He also developed a range of shopping centres in Perth and regional [[Western Australia]] with partners [[Jack Bendat]] and Kevin Merifield.

His private company, [[Australian Capital Equity]], is the holding company for Stokes' interests in a diverse range of Australian and international businesses and ventures covering property, construction, mining and petroleum exploration.

He invested in the [[Caterpillar Inc|Caterpillar]] franchise in Western Australia (Wigmores Ltd) in 1988, and the company subsequently called [[WesTrac]] has equipment dealer franchises in Western Australia, [[New South Wales]] and the [[Australian Capital Territory]], with the total number of employees close to 4,000 people, as well as 500 apprentices in Australia.

In 2007, Stokes' National Hire Group (over 50% owned by WesTrac) formed a joint venture with [[The Carlyle Group]] to acquire the equipment hire group [[Coates Hire]].

Stokes has always had a keen interest in the [[pastoralism|pastoral]] industry and acquired the {{convert|4047|km2|0|adj=on}} [[Napier Downs]] station in the [[Kimberley (Western Australia)|Kimberley]], stocked with 20,000 head of [[American Brahman|Red Brahman]] cattle, from Peter Leutenegger in 2015<ref>{{cite web|url=https://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/wa/a/29221765/stokes-joins-wa-cattle-drive/|title=Stokes joins WA cattle drive|author=Thompson, Brad|date=20 August 2015|access-date=26 November 2015|work=The West Australian|publisher=[[Yahoo7]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151127065740/https://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/wa/a/29221765/stokes-joins-wa-cattle-drive/|archive-date=27 November 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref> for an estimated {{AUD}}23&nbsp;million to {{AUD}}40&nbsp;million.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.beefcentral.com/property/stokes-re-enters-northern-wa-cattle-industry-with-napier-downs-purchase/|title=Stokes re-enters northern WA cattle industry with Napier Downs purchase|author=Condon, Jon|date=11 August 2015|access-date=27 November 2015|work=Beef Central|publisher=Nascon Media Pty Ltd.}}</ref>

{{as of|2017}}, Seven Group Holdings increased the size of Stokes' privately owned cattle empire in Western Australia to more than {{convert|2.47|e6acre|e6ha|abbr=unit|0|order=flip}}.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.afr.com/business/kerry-stokes-builds-his-cattle-empire-in-western-australias-far-north-20170928-gyq9ye |title=Kerry Stokes builds his cattle empire in Western Australia's far north |date=28 September 2017 |work=[[Australian Financial Review]] }}</ref>

===Media interests===
Stokes's commercial interests in the media sector commenced in Western Australia, with the development of the [[Golden West Network]], a regional television network based in [[Bunbury, Western Australia|Bunbury]] in partnership with Jack Bendat. In 1979 Stokes acquired [[Canberra]]'s local TV station [[CTC (TV station)|Seven Canberra]], subsequently acquiring [[ADS (TV station)|Seven Adelaide]] from [[Rupert Murdoch]] and won the [[NEW (TV station)|third commercial station licence]] in Perth, as well as acquiring radio stations in [[Victoria (state)|Victoria]] (including [[3DB (Melbourne)]] and [[K Rock 95.5|3GL]] ([[Geelong]]), South Australia and Western Australia, through a vehicle called BDC. These assets were sold to [[Frank Lowy]] in 1987.

In 1996 Stokes acquired a strategic 19 per cent stake in the [[Seven Network]] (now{{when|date=December 2020}} approximately 43 per cent), a network of commercial free-to-air television stations in Sydney, Melbourne, [[Brisbane]] and [[Adelaide]], as well as regional [[Queensland]] and [[Perth]]. This was supported by [[Alan Jackson (businessman)|Alan Jackson]], who Stokes appointed CEO of the company for a number of years.<ref>[[Mayne, Stephen]] (14 January 2008). "The day Alan Jackson lost his cool". The Mayne Report. Retrieved 16 January 2023.</ref> The platform, as well as a 33 per cent stake in [[Sky News Australia]], reaches 98 per cent of Australians. Seven has also established a major magazine publishing business, [[Pacific Magazines]], which accounts for more than 20 per cent of all magazines sold in Australia.

Also under Stokes's leadership, Seven has established a leading online venture, Yahoo!7, combining [[Yahoo!]]'s search and online capabilities with Seven's content and cross marketing. The successful joint venture is driving a range of online and IPTV businesses. Seven built and acquired several broadband businesses, including wireless broadband group [[Unwired]] (sold to [[Optus]], and subsequently defunct), [[VOIP]] operator Engin (subsequently an independent business) and was the Australian licensee for [[TiVo]],<ref>Joint Seven and TiVo announcement – 30 May 2007</ref> launched in 2008 and abandoned in 2014.<ref>{{cite news |author=Avenell, Patrick |url=http://www.applianceretailer.com.au/2014/09/regrets-channel-seven-washes-hands-tivo-australia/ |title='We have no regrets': Channel Seven washes hands of TiVo in Australia |work=Appliance Retailer |date=3 September 2014 |access-date=23 December 2020 }}</ref>

In 2006, Seven Network and [[Kohlberg Kravis Roberts|KKR]]<ref>{{cite news |author1=Kitney, Damon |author2=Clegg, Brett |title=Stokes, KKR in $3.5bn Seven deal |work=[[Australian Financial Review]] |pages=1, 14 |date=2006 }}</ref> created a new joint venture, Seven Media Group, a multi-faceted media company combining a presence in broadcast television, magazine and online applications. [[West Australian Newspapers]] Ltd. merged with Seven to form [[Seven West Media]] in 2011.

Stokes's private company, in conjunction with [[Shanghai People's Press]], is no longer running a business after five years in Shanghai. and a second joint venture in mobile television with the Oriental Pearl Group in Shanghai. Seven held the Australian broadcasting rights for the [[2008 Summer Olympics]] in Beijing and provided the broadcast feeds for the swimming and diving events for the rest of the world. The [[International Olympic Committee]] awarded Seven the gold medal for its TV coverage of the Athens Summer Olympics in 2004.{{cn|date=September 2025}}

In September 2025, the Seven Network announced that they would merge with the [[Southern Cross Media Group]], with Stokes later being elevated to the position of chair and then stepping down from the board entirely in February 2025 with the role of chair then going to Heith Mackay-Cruise.<ref>{{cite news |website=[[TV Tonight]] |date=30 September 2025 |first=David |last=Knox |url=https://tvtonight.com.au/2025/09/seven-and-southern-cross-media-to-merge.html |access-date=30 September 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250930065552/https://tvtonight.com.au/2025/09/seven-and-southern-cross-media-to-merge.html |archive-date=30 September 2025 |url-status=live |title=Seven and Southern Cross Media to merge, Kerry Stokes to retire.}}</ref>

==Personal life==
Stokes has been married four times. His first marriage was to Dorothy "Dot" Ebert, who is the mother of two of his children, Russell and Raelene. In an interview with ''[[The Bulletin (Australian periodical)|The Bulletin]]'', it was implied that Stokes was estranged from his first family. His second marriage was to his receptionist, Denise Bryant, with whom he had two sons. Denise walked out of the marriage and went overseas, and Stokes became a single father. His third marriage was to Australian television actress [[Peta Toppano]] in 1992. This marriage lasted for three years. In 1996 he married his fourth wife, Christine Simpson, a newsreader for rival station [[Network 10|Channel 10]] when they first met. Stokes has at least four grandchildren.<ref name=facts/><ref name=knox/><ref>{{cite web |last1=Vermeer |first1=Tony |title=Ryan and Claire Stokes welcome baby number three Ilaria Mina Stokes |url=https://thewest.com.au/news/wa/ryan-and-claire-stokes-welcome-baby-number-three-ilaria-mina-stokes-c-11820162 |website=The West Australian |access-date=22 April 2025}}</ref>

=== Net worth === 
{{As of|2025|05}}, the ''[[Australian Financial Review]]'' assessed Stokes' [[net worth]] as {{AUD}}12.69&nbsp;[[1,000,000,000|billion]], the tenth-richest Australian; and he was one of seven Australians who have appeared in every ''Financial Review Rich List'', or its predecessor, the ''BRW Rich 200'', since it was first published in 1984.<ref name="afr2025"/><ref name="BRW2013-Thomson">{{cite journal |url=http://www.brw.com.au/p/lists/rich-200/2013/celebrating_years_of_the_rich_EnUWZtuD02H4jYBFx0e3MM |last=Thomson |first=James |date=22 May 2013 |access-date=22 May 2013 |title=Celebrating 30 years of the Rich 200 |journal=BRW Rich 200 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140727170000/http://www.brw.com.au/p/lists/rich-200/2013/celebrating_years_of_the_rich_EnUWZtuD02H4jYBFx0e3MM |archive-date=27 July 2014 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

In 2019, ''[[Forbes]]'' assessed Stokes' net worth as {{USD}}2.90&nbsp;billion.<ref name="Forbes2019">{{cite news|url=https://www.forbes.com/australia-billionaires/list/#tab:overall|title=2019 Australia's 50 Richest|access-date=28 September 2019|work=Forbes Asia|date=January 2019 }}</ref>

{| class="wikitable"
! rowspan=2 | Year
! colspan=2 width=40% | ''[[Australian Financial Review|Financial Review]]''<br/>[[Financial Review Rich List|Rich List]]
! colspan=2 width=40% | ''[[Forbes]]''<br/>[[List of Australians by net worth|Australia's 50 Richest]]
|-
! Rank
! [[Net worth]] ([[A$]])
! Rank
! {{nowrap|[[Net worth]] ([[US$]])}}
|-
| 2015<ref name="Forbes2015">{{cite news|url=https://www.forbes.com/australia-billionaires/list/#tab:overall|title=2015 Australia's 50 Richest|access-date=10 June 2015|work=Forbes Asia|date=March 2015 }}</ref>
| align="center" | {{nts|16}}
| align="right" | $2.113&nbsp;[[1,000,000,000|billion]]
| align="center" | {{nowrap|{{nts|23}} {{decrease}}}}
| align="right" | $1.20&nbsp;billion {{decrease}}
|-
| 2016<ref name="Forbes2016">{{cite news|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesasia/2016/01/27/gina-rinehart-loses-her-no-1-spot/#61808088479d|title=Gina Rinehart Loses Her No. 1 Spot|access-date=22 October 2019|work=Forbes Asia|date=27 January 2016 }}</ref>
| align="center" |
| align="right" | 
| align="center" | {{nowrap|{{nts|27}} {{decrease}}}}
| align="right" | $1.00&nbsp;billion {{decrease}}
|-
| 2017<ref name="afr2017">{{cite news |url=http://www.afr.com/leadership/afr-lists/rich-list/financial-review-rich-list-2017-20170525-gwcvr6 |editor=Stensholt, John |title=Financial Review Rich List 2017 |work=[[Australian Financial Review]] |date=25 May 2017 |access-date=8 June 2017 }}</ref><ref name="crikey2017">{{cite news |url=https://www.crikey.com.au/2017/05/26/tmaynes-take-the-top-25-australian-billionaires-as-claimed-by-fairfax-media/ |author=Mayne, Stephen |authorlink=Stephen Mayne |title=Mayne's take: The top 25 Australian billionaires, as claimed by Fairfax |work=[[Crikey]] |publisher=Private Media |date=26 May 2017 |access-date=10 October 2019 }}</ref><ref name="Forbes2017">{{cite news|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesasia/2017/11/01/australias-richest-2017-mining-for-dollars/#4d3806661d24|title=Australia's Richest 2017: Country's Wealthiest Continue Mining For Dollars |access-date=28 September 2019 |work=Forbes Asia|date=1 November 2017 }}</ref>
| align="center" | {{nowrap|{{nts|14}} }}
| align="right" | $2.90&nbsp;billion {{gain}}
| align="center" | {{nowrap|{{nts|14}} {{gain}}}}
| align="right" | $2.60&nbsp;billion {{decrease}}
|-
| 2018<ref name="afr2018">{{cite web|url=http://www.afr.com/brand/afr-magazine/rich-list-overview-20180413-h0yqo5|title=2018 AFR Rich List: Who are Australia's richest people?|work=[[Australian Financial Review]]|date=25 May 2018|editor=Stensholt, John|access-date=26 May 2018}}</ref><ref name="Forbes2018">{{cite web |title=Kerry Stokes net worth |url=https://www.forbes.com/profile/kerry-stokes/?list=billionaires#6b6d124d1b43 |website=Forbes |access-date=22 November 2018}}</ref>
| align="center" | {{nowrap|{{nts|13}} {{gain}}}}
| align="right" | $4.93&nbsp;billion {{gain}}
| align="center" | 
| align="right" | $3.10&nbsp;billion {{gain}}
|-
| 2019<ref name="Forbes2019"/><ref name="afr2019">{{cite web|url=https://www.afr.com/rich-list/australia-s-10-wealthiest-people-revealed-20190529-p51sj0|title=Australia's 200 richest people revealed|work=[[Australian Financial Review]] |publisher=Nine Publishing|date=30 May 2019|last=Bailey|first=Michael|access-date=31 May 2019}}</ref>
| align="center" | {{nowrap|{{nts|11}} {{gain}}}}
| align="right" | $5.69&nbsp;billion {{gain}}
| align="center" | {{nowrap|{{nts|12}} {{gain}}}}
| align="right" | $2.90&nbsp;billion {{decrease}}
|-
| 2020<ref name="afr2020">{{cite web|url=https://www.afr.com/rich-list/the-10-richest-australians-revealed-20201028-p569c7|url-access=subscription|title=The full list: Australia's wealthiest 200 revealed|work=[[Australian Financial Review]]|publisher=Nine Publishing|date=30 October 2020|author1=Bailey, Michael|author2=Sprague, Julie-anne|access-date=31 October 2020}}</ref>
| align="center" | {{nowrap|{{nts|10}} {{gain}}}}
| align="right" | $6.26&nbsp;billion {{gain}}
| align="center" | 
| align="right" | 
|-
| 2021<ref name="afr2021">{{cite news |author1=Bailey, Michael |author2=Sprague, Julie-anne |url=https://www.afr.com/rich-list/australia-s-10-richest-people-revealed-20210526-p57vfr |title=The 200 richest people in Australia revealed |work=[[Australian Financial Review]] |date=27 May 2021 |access-date=28 May 2021}}</ref>
| align="center" | {{nowrap|{{nts|13}} {{decrease}}}}
| align="right" | $7.18&nbsp;billion {{up}}
| align="center" | 
| align="right" | 
|-
| 2022
| align="center" | {{nowrap|{{nts|12}} {{increase}}}}
| align="right" | $7.00&nbsp;billion {{down}}
| align="center" | 
| align="right" | 
|-
| 2023<ref name="afr2023">{{cite news |author1=Bailey, Michael |author2=Sprague, Julie-anne |url=https://www.afr.com/rich-list/australia-s-10-richest-people-revealed-20230523-p5dapa |title=The 200 richest people in Australia revealed |work=[[Australian Financial Review]] |date=26 May 2023 |access-date=6 June 2023}}</ref>
| align="center" | {{nowrap|{{nts|12}} {{steady}}}}
| align="right"  | $7.45&nbsp;billion {{up}}
| align="center" | 
| align="right"  | 
|-
| 2024<ref name="afr2024">{{cite news |author1=Redrup, Yolanda |author2=Bailey, Michael |url=https://www.afr.com/rich-list/australia-s-10-richest-people-revealed-20240521-p5jfe4 |title=Australia's wealthiest 200 now control $625b |work=[[Australian Financial Review]] |date=30 May 2024 |access-date=18 September 2024}}</ref>
| align="center" | {{nowrap|{{nts|12}} {{steady}}}}
| align="right"  | $11.30&nbsp;billion {{up}}
| align="center" | 
| align="right"  | 
|-
| 2025<ref name="afr2025">{{cite news |author1=Redrup, Yolanda |url=https://www.afr.com/rich-list/australia-s-wealthiest-200-revealed-fortunes-blow-past-667b-20250509-p5lxxb |title=Australia’s wealthiest 200 revealed, fortunes blow past $667b |work=[[Australian Financial Review]] |date=30 May 2025 |access-date=31 May 2025 |url-access=subscription }}</ref>
| align="center" | {{nowrap|{{nts|10}} {{up}}}}
| align="right"  | $12.69&nbsp;billion {{up}}
| align="center" | 
| align="right"  | 
|}

{| class="wikitable"
!colspan="2"|<small>Legend</small>
|-
!<small> Icon</small>
!<small> Description</small>
|-
|{{steady}}
|<small>Has not changed from the previous year</small>
|-
|{{profit}}
|<small>Has increased from the previous year</small>
|-
|{{loss}}
|<small>Has decreased from the previous year</small>
|}

===Philanthropy===
In 1995 Stokes was appointed an Officer of the [[Order of Australia]] (AO) for service to business and commerce to the arts and to the community.<ref name=AO/> In 2008 Stokes was appointed a Companion of the Order of Australia (AC) for service to business and commerce through strategic leadership and promotion of corporate social responsibility, to the arts through executive roles and philanthropy, and to the community, particularly through contributions to organisations supporting youth.<ref name=AC/> His passionate interest in art coincides with his long association with the [[National Gallery of Australia]], where he served as chairman for several years and has made multimillion-dollar donations.

He has also been awarded the [[Rotary Foundation|Rotary]] [[Paul P. Harris|Paul Harris]] Fellow Award by [[Rotary International]] and holds a life membership of the [[Returned and Services League of Australia]], on whose behalf Stokes has acquired three Victoria Crosses, as well as other medals. These medals have been added to the collection of the [[Australian War Memorial]] in Canberra. He now sits on the council of the War Memorial.

In November 2012, Stokes was named Western Australia's Australian of the Year for his extensive philanthropic contributions to Australian society.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/a/-/breaking/15466185/stokes-wa-australian-of-the-year/ |title=Stokes WA Australian of the Year - the West Australian |access-date=18 December 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131207052332/http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/a/-/breaking/15466185/stokes-wa-australian-of-the-year/ |archive-date=7 December 2013 |url-status=dead}}</ref> In 1994, Stokes delivered the [[Boyer Lectures]], a series of five lectures broadcast annually on ABC radio. His series was entitled "Advance Australia Where?" on the topic of the [[Information Superhighway]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.abc.net.au/rn/boyerlectures/about/ |title=ABC Radio National - the Boyer Lectures - About |website=[[Australian Broadcasting Corporation]] |access-date=5 September 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080919055801/http://www.abc.net.au/rn/boyerlectures/about/ |archive-date=19 September 2008 |url-status=dead}}</ref> He delivered the [[Andrew Olle Media Lecture]] in October 2001.<ref>{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20191224162811/https://networthey.com/kerry-stokes-net-worth/ Article title]}} |date= December 2019</ref>

====Victoria Cross====
Stokes has taken an active role in preserving Australian ownership of significant military heritage; he has now purchased three Australian [[Victoria Cross]] medal sets, and a [[George Cross]] medal set. Stokes has purchased all four sets via auction from Bonhams & Goodman of Sydney, Australia. The first was the VC medal set of Captain [[Alfred John Shout]], paying a world record price of {{AUD}}1.2&nbsp;million on 24 July 2006.<ref>[http://www.bonhamsandgoodman.com.au/lot_details.php?lot=14665&view=results&year=2006&offset=0 Bonhams & Goodman] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070928041555/http://www.bonhamsandgoodman.com.au/lot_details.php?lot=14665 |date=28 September 2007 }} – Lot No. 1078 – Captain [[Alfred John Shout]] VC medal set.</ref> In the same auction, he purchased the GC medal set of Lieutenant Commander [[George Gosse]] for {{AUD}}180,000.<ref>[http://www.bonhamsandgoodman.com.au/lot_details.php?lot=14667&image=1 Bonhams & Goodman] {{webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20080228202646/http://www.bonhamsandgoodman.com.au/lot_details.php?lot=14667&image=1 |date=28 February 2008 }} – Lot No. 1079 – Lieutenant Commander [[George Gosse]] GC medal set.</ref> On 28 November of the same year, Stokes purchased the VC set of Lance Corporal [[Bernard Sidney Gordon|Bernard Gordon]] for A$478,000.<ref>[https://www.bonhamsandgoodman.com.au/lot_details.php?lot=21102&image=1 Bonhams & Goodman]{{dead link|date=December 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} – Lot No. 205 – Lance Corporal [[Bernard Sidney Gordon|Bernard Gordon]] VC medal set.</ref> He donated all three sets to the Australian War Memorial.

On 20 May 2008, Stokes, in conjunction with the [[South Australian Government]], purchased the Victoria Cross medal set of Major [[Peter Badcoe]] for {{AUD}}480,000.<ref>[http://www.bonhamsandgoodman.com.au/lot_details.php?lot=57540&auction=223 Bonhams & Goodman]{{dead link|date=December 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} – Lot No. 25 – Major [[Peter Badcoe]] VC medal set</ref> The Badcoe medals were on public display in the [[South Australian Museum]] in Adelaide, and on tour in South Australia, for twelve months before going on display at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra.<ref>[http://www.bonhamsandgoodman.com.au/about_auction_news_view.php?article=181 Bonhams & Goodman] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080823004451/http://www.bonhamsandgoodman.com.au/about_auction_news_view.php?article=181 |date=23 August 2008 |checked=true}} – Mystery Buyer of Vietnam War Victoria Cross and Burke and Wills Breastplate revealed</ref>

==Controversy==
On 23 April 2020, during the global [[COVID-19 pandemic]], Stokes and his wife, Christine Simpson, were granted quarantine within their own home after returning from a skiing trip in [[Colorado]] instead of in a hotel on medical grounds. However, it was unclear why Simpson was also given an exemption to strict State and Federal laws at the time.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Billionaire excused from mandatory quarantine|url=https://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/health/health-problems/coronavirus-australia-billionaire-kerry-stokes-excused-from-hotel-quarantine-after-aspen-trip/news-story/cbba65114b0a7127cbf3ae87c7f06123|date=2020-04-23|website=[[News.com.au]]|access-date=2020-05-03}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Billionaire exempted from mandatory hotel quarantine after returning from ski resort|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/australasia/coronavirus-kerry-stokes-billionaire-quarantine-hotel-colorado-australia-a9480536.html|date=2020-04-23|website=The Independent|access-date=2020-05-03}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/drive/kerry-stokes-exempt-from-strict-quarantine-rules/12179016 |title=Billionaire media mogul Kerry Stokes exempt from strict quarantine rules |work=[[ABC News (Australia)|ABC News]] |location=Australia |access-date=23 December 2020 }}</ref>

After Seven Network employee and former soldier [[Ben Roberts-Smith]] sued the publishers of ''[[The Age]]'', ''[[The Sydney Morning Herald]]'' and ''[[The Canberra Times]]'' for defamation, it was reported in 2020 that Stokes’ private investment company, Australian Capital Equity, had extended a line of credit to Roberts-Smith of around A$2&nbsp;million to help fund his legal case.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2020-11-15 |title=Ben Roberts-Smith owes Kerry Stokes $1.9m |url=https://www.afr.com/rear-window/ben-roberts-smith-owes-kerry-stokes-1-9m-20201115-p56eoj |access-date=2023-06-01 |website=Australian Financial Review |language=en}}</ref> Roberts-Smith reportedly offered his Victoria Cross medal as collateral for the loan.<ref>{{Cite news |last=McKinnell |first=Jamie |date=2023-06-01 |title=Ben Roberts-Smith tried to clear his name — it proved to be an expensive own goal |language=en-AU |work=ABC News |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-06-01/ben-roberts-smith-analysis-on-ex-soldier-personal-cost/102419864 |access-date=2023-06-01}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Doherty |first=Ben |date=2023-06-01 |title=Ben Roberts-Smith loses defamation case, with judge finding former SAS soldier committed war crimes |language=en-GB |work=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/jun/01/ben-roberts-smith-loses-defamation-case-with-judge-saying-newspapers-established-truth-of-some-murders |access-date=2023-06-01 |issn=0261-3077}}</ref> On 1 June 2023 [[Federal Court of Australia|Australian federal court]] Judge [[Anthony Besanko]] dismissed the case, ruling that, on the balance of probabilities, the papers had established substantial or contextual truth of allegations of war crimes committed by Roberts-Smith.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2023-06-01 |title=Ben Roberts-Smith: Top Australian soldier loses war crimes defamation case |language=en-GB |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-65773942 |access-date=2023-06-01}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Barnes |first=Terry |date=2023-06-01 |title=Ben Roberts-Smith and the murky debate over accountability in war |url=https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/ben-roberts-smith-and-the-murky-debate-over-accountability-in-war/ |access-date=2023-06-01 |website=The Spectator |language=en-US}}</ref> It was reported that in addition to agreeing to cover Roberts-Smith legal costs of an estimated $15&nbsp;million, Stokes will also make a significant contribution to cover the defendant's costs of an estimated $13&nbsp;million; and possibly cover both parties costs for the appeal, estimated to be $5&nbsp;million.<ref>{{cite news |author=Buckingham-Jones, Sam |url=https://www.afr.com/companies/media-and-marketing/the-moment-that-put-kerry-stokes-on-the-hook-for-13m-20250516-p5lzrl#:~:text=He%20was%20already%20paying%20an,permitted%20to%20speak%20publicly%2C%20said. |title=The moment that put Kerry Stokes on the hook for $13m |work=[[Financial Review]] |date=16 May 2025 |access-date=8 June 2025 |url-access=subscription }}</ref>

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

===Further reading===
*{{Cite book |publisher=[[HarperCollins]] Australia |isbn=9780732295981 |authorlink=Andrew Rule |last=Rule |first=Andrew |title=Kerry Stokes: The Boy from Nowhere |date=2014-11-01}}
*{{Cite book |publisher=[[Viking Press|Viking Australia]] |isbn=9780670075423 |authorlink=Margaret Simons |last=Simons |first=Margaret |title=Kerry Stokes: Self-Made Man |date=2013-10-23}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Stokes, Kerry}}
[[Category:1940 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Australian mass media owners]]
[[Category:Companions of the Order of Australia]]
[[Category:Businesspeople from Perth, Western Australia]]
[[Category:Australian billionaires]]
[[Category:Australian book and manuscript collectors]]
[[Category:20th-century Australian businesspeople]]
[[Category:21st-century Australian businesspeople]]
[[Category:Businesspeople from Melbourne]]
[[Category:Australian adoptees]]
[[Category:Australian philanthropists]]