Gina Rinehart calls for ‘genuine leaders’ to take Australia forward in new Trump era

Australia’s richest person Gina Rinehart has called for “genuine” leaders to take the country forward in the new Trump era as she lambasted the “green ideology” for stalling investment in a range of sectors.

In a speech to mark National Agriculture Day on Thursday, Mrs Rinehart reflected on her recent trip to the US and the stunning political comeback by Donald Trump, who she supported on election night at his Mar-a-Lago mansion in Florida.

Mrs Rinehart said she was “shocked” at the cost of living challenges stemming from “Bideneconomics” and “wrongly called sustainable energy policies”.

President-elect Trump has vowed to repeal major climate policies passed under the Biden Administration, including halting offshore wind projects and dismantling the Inflation Reduction Act.

“The Trumps . . . chose to kick out the socialists, big time, and along with it Bideneconomics; socialist policies are never good for economies or for living standards,” Mrs Rinehart said in her speech, seen by The West Australian.

The mining magnate noted many were surprised to see younger voters turn away from “high-cost big government and socialism”.

Mrs Rinehart said Australia was experiencing similar issues “thanks to the same green ideology”, highlighting record business failures, investment jitters and onerous government policies that were “not at all friendly” to the mining or agriculture industries.

“Never has our country needed leaders who understand common sense like those on the land do, never has our country needed patriots, like the beautiful people I see in the outback and on farms across our nation,” she said.

“Genuine, hard-working, battling Aussies.

“Let’s not become an industry that sees its future disappear because we didn’t stand up, we didn’t fight for it.”

National Agriculture Day, held on November 21 each year, was founded by Mrs Rinehart to celebrate the contribution of agriculture and related industries.