Speaker 1: From Schwartz Media. I'm Ruby Jones. This is seven am.
Speaker 1: The knight Donald Trump claimed victory. He celebrated with his
Speaker 1: closest friends. Among them was Australia's richest person, Gina Reinhart.
Speaker 1: Rein Hart, who describes herself as a longstanding member of
Speaker 1: the Trump support group the Trumpets, is not only cultivating
Speaker 1: her ties among America's right wing political elite, She's long
Speaker 1: been a highly influential figure in Australian politics too, and
Speaker 1: with the Australian election just months away, Reinhart's friendship with
Speaker 1: Opposition leader Peter Dutton is more pertinent than ever. Today,
Speaker 1: National correspondent for the Saturday Paper, Mike Sekham on Gina Reinhart,
Speaker 1: her money and how she uses it to shape the country.
Speaker 1: It's Tuesday, November twenty six, So, Mike, Gina ryan Hart.
Speaker 1: We all know her Australia's richest person. Her fortune, of course,
Speaker 1: was made from her mining interests. But tell me just
Speaker 1: how rich is she?
Speaker 2: Well? According to Forbes magazine, she's worth, at the most
Speaker 2: recent count, thirty point one billion dollars, which, as you say,
Speaker 2: makes her Australia's richest person by quite a long way.
Speaker 2: Second place is another mining magnate, Andrew Forrest, and he
Speaker 2: was worth slightly less than half of what Gina was worth.
Speaker 2: So she's rich.
Speaker 3: Mate, okay.
Speaker 1: And so what is the story of how she amassed
Speaker 1: that kind of wealth.
Speaker 2: Well, really it's largely the luck of birth. I've got
Speaker 2: to say. Her father was an iron ore explorer, Lang Hancock.
Speaker 2: He was very politically conservative, quite an outspoken racist. In fact,
Speaker 2: in a TV interview back in nineteen eighty four he
Speaker 2: said some incredibly things about sterilizing Indigenous people in order
Speaker 2: that we might quite breed them out. So not a
Speaker 2: very nice man really, and he didn't just give his
Speaker 2: awful opinions. He also gave lots of money to politicians,
Speaker 2: including hundreds of thousands to his good friend Joe biaka Pedersen,
Speaker 2: who was the strongman Premier of Queensland in the sort
Speaker 2: of sixties seventies eighties and led a notably corrupt government
Speaker 2: at the end of which a number of his ministers
Speaker 2: went to jail. So anyway, Gina has followed in her
Speaker 2: father's footsteps in business. She became executive chairwoman of Hancock
Speaker 2: Prospecting in nineteen ninety two, its biggest asset is the
Speaker 2: Royal Hill Mining Project, which started shipments to Asia in
Speaker 2: twenty fifteen. She's also got investments in rare earth minerals,
Speaker 2: in gas, in cattle, and in property.
Speaker 1: Okay, so, Gina ryan Hart. She took her father's business
Speaker 1: and built on it, making ever more money over the years.
Speaker 1: Has she also followed in his footsteps when it comes
Speaker 1: to seeking political influence? Mike, what do we know about
Speaker 1: her donations? Well?
Speaker 2: Absolutely, she's a major donor to the Conservative parties, to
Speaker 2: the Liberal and National Parties. I might ad not always
Speaker 2: as open about it as is legally required. Back in
Speaker 2: twenty twenty three, an investigation by the ABC revealed a
Speaker 2: donation of almost one hundred and fifty thousand dollars to
Speaker 2: the Liberal Party from Hancock Prospecting, but routed through a
Speaker 2: third party, a little mob called the Sydney Mining Club.
Speaker 2: It was only after the ABC began asking questions that
Speaker 2: ryan Hart finally declared it. She also cultivates relationships with
Speaker 2: senior figures on the Conservative side of politics. Tony Abbott
Speaker 2: was close to her Barnaby Joyce, former leader of the
Speaker 2: National Party, Matt Canavan, probably the most prominent climate denier
Speaker 2: among the coalition ranks, and of course the current Opposition leader,
Speaker 2: Peter Dutton in particular, appears to cherish the relationship that
Speaker 2: he has with her.
Speaker 4: Disclosed trip on Thursday night, which so Dutton could be
Speaker 4: the star speaker at the private seventieth birthday party for
Speaker 4: Gina Hina estimated Dutton was at the event for about
Speaker 4: forty minutes before presumably getting on a red eye flight
Speaker 4: to Melbourne where he appeared in a Friday morning campaign
Speaker 4: event for Dunkley.
Speaker 2: His office said he paid for those flights himself and
Speaker 2: by the way, the Liberals lost the by election. More recently,
Speaker 2: we've heard other stories about Dutton flying on Ryinhart's private jet,
Speaker 2: which he's defended by saying it saves the taxpayer's money
Speaker 2: because she lets him use the jet for free.
Speaker 5: I thought that was very expensive and the cheap option
Speaker 5: for the taxpayer was for my office to speak to
Speaker 5: missus Reinhardt's office as to whether the plane might be
Speaker 5: available that was at zero cost to the taxpayer.
Speaker 2: In one case, last November, Dutton was flown to roy Hill,
Speaker 2: which is up in the north of Western Australia in
Speaker 2: the Pilbro where he gave a speech which just may
Speaker 2: have been written for him by Ynahut herself.
Speaker 3: We need to hear more parents tell their children the
Speaker 3: schools they attend and the cities they live in are
Speaker 3: only possible because of the mining sector. We need to
Speaker 3: hear more teachers tell their students that the roads, the bridges,
Speaker 3: and the railways that we travel on have been constructed
Speaker 3: thanks to your sector.
Speaker 2: He also lauded the work that she carried out at
Speaker 2: the MIND as being quote a national treasure unquote. So
Speaker 2: he's pretty pretty keen to keep Gina onsite.
Speaker 1: I think you would say, right, clearly, some of these
Speaker 1: personal relationships they're working out well for Gina. Are there
Speaker 1: other ways that she seeks political influence?
Speaker 4: Mike?
Speaker 2: She also donates to conservative think tanks, the most prominent
Speaker 2: of them at the Institute of Public Affairs, or the IPA.
Speaker 2: The IPA was founded back in nineteen forty three by
Speaker 2: a group of prominent businessmen, including Sir Keith Murder, father
Speaker 2: of Rupert, and over the years it has campaign against
Speaker 2: Aboriginal land rights, against racial discrimination laws, and particularly against
Speaker 2: measures to address climate change. As to who funds the IPA, well,
Speaker 2: it's always been very cagey about that, but Back in
Speaker 2: twenty eighteen, as a consequence of a long running dispute
Speaker 2: involving the Rhineharts in the New South Wales Supreme Court,
Speaker 2: Reinehart was forced to reveal that over the two preceding
Speaker 2: years she had given the IPA something like four point
Speaker 2: five million dollars and that accounted for, you know, by
Speaker 2: various estimates, between a third and a half of its funding,
Speaker 2: by billionaire standards, by the standards of Rhinehart's wealth. You know,
Speaker 2: four point five million is not a lot of money,
Speaker 2: but you know it's enough to fund a lot of
Speaker 2: ten inchies research. And anyway, the IPA's influence goes beyond
Speaker 2: mere money. It maintains very close links with the Murdoch
Speaker 2: media empire and also serves as kind of a hotbed,
Speaker 2: I guess you would say for the conservative side of
Speaker 2: Australian politics. Trains up a lot of liberal politicians and
Speaker 2: there appears to be a level of coordination in all
Speaker 2: of this. As an example, rein Hart was linking housing
Speaker 2: shortages to immigration back in as Dutton declared his intention
Speaker 2: to slash Australia's migrant intake. Reinhart was championing nuclear power
Speaker 2: before the coalition embraced it. So just how far reaching
Speaker 2: Reinehart's influence is on coalition policy kind of remains to
Speaker 2: be seen, largely because the Dutton opposition has released so
Speaker 2: little policy to date. But as we get close to
Speaker 2: the election, likely you know, by next May, I think
Speaker 2: the full extent will become clearer. What we do know
Speaker 2: is that the Institute of Public Affairs doesn't act alone.
Speaker 2: It's part of a global network of conservative think tanks
Speaker 2: united by a very specific worldview, one that's shaping the
Speaker 2: future of the United States.
Speaker 1: Coming up after the break that network and what Gina
Speaker 1: Reinhart's influence in the United States tells us about her
Speaker 1: plans for Australia. Mike, you've outlined the ways that Gina
Speaker 1: Reinhart uses her wealth to five and not only conservative
Speaker 1: political parties, but also the Institute of Public Affairs, which
Speaker 1: develops research and these talking points that end up funneled
Speaker 1: through conservative media and laying the groundwork for coalition policy.
Speaker 1: But can you tell me more about how the IPA,
Speaker 1: how it fits into this bigger global picture.
Speaker 2: Well, the IPA is part of a global network of
Speaker 2: hundreds of conservative think tanks. It's one of eight in
Speaker 2: Australia with these global ties. The two most prominent in
Speaker 2: this country are the IPA and the Center for Independent Studies,
Speaker 2: which was central to the disinformation campaign around the Indigenous
Speaker 2: Voice to Parliament. This global network is called the Atlas Network,
Speaker 2: comprising around five hundred and fifteen think tanks across ninety
Speaker 2: nine countries. And we've just seen a very big example
Speaker 2: of what these think tanks are able to achieve when
Speaker 2: they work together. Hundreds of them under the leadership of
Speaker 2: their Heritage Foundation, which is another member of the Antlas
Speaker 2: network in the US, got together to create Project twenty
Speaker 2: twenty five, which was essentially the policy roadmap of the
Speaker 2: incoming Trump administration.
Speaker 1: Yeah, Project twenty twenty five. It had a lot of
Speaker 1: bad press during the presidential debate. Trump even distanced himself
Speaker 1: from it at one point because of these plans that
Speaker 1: it put forward that included guarding the government, replacing bureaucrats
Speaker 1: with loyalists, expanding presidential power dramatically, and also the size
Speaker 1: and the role of the military. So what is the
Speaker 1: overarching philosophy or ideology that unites all of these groups, Mike.
Speaker 2: Well, we got something of an insight into this back
Speaker 2: in April when a woman called Jennifer Grossman, who's the
Speaker 2: American chief executive of the Atlas Society, which is a
Speaker 2: related but separate body, hosted an event in Perth to
Speaker 2: present Jena Einheart with a Lifetime Achievement award. And before
Speaker 2: she even I and a mouth, Jennifer Grossman's attire spoke volumes.
Speaker 2: I think she wore a biscuit colored plain outfit, unadorned
Speaker 2: except for an enormous shiny brooch in the shape of
Speaker 2: a dollar sign above her heart. Now, the Atlas Society
Speaker 2: takes its name from the mid twentieth century book written
Speaker 2: by author Einrand. The book was called Atlas Shrugged. It
Speaker 2: was a nineteen fifty seven dystopian book about the dire
Speaker 2: consequences that ensue when government and the plebs interfere with
Speaker 2: the virtuous pursuit of wealth. Rand wrote a number of
Speaker 2: books in the same vein thoy've frequently been criticized as elitist, racist,
Speaker 2: and badly written. But Reinhart told Grossman that she'd been
Speaker 2: a fan of Rand since she read Atlas Shrugged at
Speaker 2: age thirteen. And I'll quote her now. She said, the
Speaker 2: values that we're in that book I haven't shied from
Speaker 2: ever since, and Reinhart summarized the central message of Rand's
Speaker 2: books as there's no such thing as a free lunch.
Speaker 2: Rand herself, however, characterized her philosophy as quoting her the
Speaker 2: virtue of selfishness.
Speaker 1: Okay, so, Mike, how do you think that Gina ran
Speaker 1: Hart's admiration for this particular worldview? How do you think
Speaker 1: it's going to play out? As her political influence in
Speaker 1: the United States strengthens.
Speaker 2: She has incredible access over there. When the victory party
Speaker 2: was held at Marri Lago after the election, there was
Speaker 2: Gina ryan Hart. And it's not just her access to Trump.
Speaker 2: She's just met with Elon Musk. The details of their
Speaker 2: meeting are private, but Gina Reinhart told the Financial Review
Speaker 2: that it was quote a chance to congratulate Elon on
Speaker 2: his leadership to drive an office of government efficiency. He's
Speaker 2: talking about cutting maybe one third of government spending. Ryan
Speaker 2: Hart said this was an approach quote much needed in
Speaker 2: Australia too. And this meeting with Musk raises the question,
Speaker 2: I guess of whether rein Hart might be seeking a
Speaker 2: similar role only for Dutton. And the question was actually
Speaker 2: put to one of the tear independents, Monique Ryan, on
Speaker 2: breakfast television a week after the US election. Monique, what
Speaker 2: about Gina or Twiggy come in and try and sort
Speaker 2: the red tape out here in a government of efficiency.
Speaker 6: Yeah, look as exactly. That's exactly the corolla I was
Speaker 6: going to make Carl. You've got the world's richest man,
Speaker 6: and you've given him this position of incredible influence in
Speaker 6: the American government. I think jobs for mates is a
Speaker 6: very bad idea. I don't think that politicians should be
Speaker 6: putting their friends, their dear friends into positions of great
Speaker 6: influence in this country exactly.
Speaker 2: And then I rang her later and she ventured that
Speaker 2: Australia's system of government would probably not allow a formal
Speaker 2: appointment allah mask. But she was worried, nonetheless, that Dutton
Speaker 2: would take advice as Prime Minister from his RANDI and
Speaker 2: friend Gina Reinhart.
Speaker 1: Okay, So, Mike, what does all of this mean for
Speaker 1: gena Iryn Hart's position in Australian public life, especially if
Speaker 1: the Coalition does win the next selection and her friend
Speaker 1: Peter Dutton becomes the Prime minister. Should we expect to
Speaker 1: see more of her and hear more of her ideas
Speaker 1: about tax and bureaucracy and immigration.
Speaker 2: You know, I think it's pretty clear that she would
Speaker 2: seek to use political influence. She's trying to use political
Speaker 2: influence already. She's trying to get government policy in place
Speaker 2: that would suit her business interests and would make her wealthier.
Speaker 2: You know, is there a risk here for Dutton in
Speaker 2: being seen to fall in line with the demands of
Speaker 2: the country's richest person. Until recently you would have thought
Speaker 2: there was, But look at what happened in the US.
Speaker 2: When you throw enough money behind a campaign, no matter
Speaker 2: how preposterous or how obviously self serving, an alarmingly large
Speaker 2: number of people will fall for it.
Speaker 1: Mike, thank you so much for your time.
Speaker 2: Thanks Ruby, cheers.
Speaker 1: Also in the news today, Independent Senator Lydia Thorpe and
Speaker 1: her former Green's colleague, Senator Marine Ferruki, have asked the
Speaker 1: Senate to investigate the prevalence of racism and sexism in
Speaker 1: the federal halls of power, with Thorpe telling the press
Speaker 1: that Parliament is quote simply not safe if you are
Speaker 1: a woman of color, and the Supreme Court has found
Speaker 1: that Victoria police engaged in a quote joint criminal Enterprise
Speaker 1: when they recruited barrister Nicola Gobbo to inform on her clients,
Speaker 1: including drug king pin Tony Mockbell. The findings, which investigated
Speaker 1: the behavior of police and prosecutors, found that at least
Speaker 1: four members of Victoria Police worked with Gobbo to pervert
Speaker 1: the course of justice. The outcome of this case could
Speaker 1: see Mockbell, who's currently serving a thirty year sentence of
Speaker 1: his conviction overturned on appeal. I'm Ruby Jones. This is
Speaker 1: seven am. Thanks for listing