Australia’s Richest Person Says Left Media Scared Liberals From Bold Trump-Like Agenda
Australia’s richest person Gina Rinehart says pressure from left wing media outlets successfully scared the centre-right Liberal Party away from adopting Trump-style policies during the election.
Rinehart’s comments were released publicly after the centre-left Australian Labor Party defeated the Coalition in a come-from-behind victory on May 3, despite dire polling last year suggesting the party could lose power.
“No doubt the left media will now try to claim that the Liberal loss was because the Liberal Party followed Trump and became ’too right.’ The two simply don’t add up.”
The mining billionaire said this year especially, the Liberals had become the “me-too party” and shied away from promoting Trump-like policies to voters, including cutting red tape, government bureaucracy and waste, as well as taxes.
Rinehart, who is the executive chair of Hancock Prospecting said one of the first things the Liberal Party needed to do is “education” based on the principles of “common sense and truth.”
Concerns About Tough Business Environment
The mining magnate also warned that current issues with high electricity prices, new environmental regulations, and tougher industrial relations laws would all make investment in Australia unattractive.
“The Minerals Council of Australia should not be ignored, they claim, 80 percent of the resource project pipeline is now [on] the cancelled list. I can’t help fearing this percent may be increased.
“But is it just the big companies, or the mining companies? No, smaller companies are affected too. Indeed within an hour of so of the election result being called, a friend who started her own business and is a small business owner said she’s going to close and move overseas.
“I pleaded with her, please don’t go, please stay and fight for understanding of the changes Australia needs.
‘We Must Wish him Well’: Rinehart on Albanese
Despite all her concerns, Rinehart expressed respect for the will of the Australian people and wished Prime Minister Anthony Albanese all the best.
Why MAGA Took Off in the US
In her statement, Rinehart reflected on her experience walking around a “left-educated and left-voting” New York ahead of the U.S. election.
“Walking around the rubbish in streets, and more than a little concerned [about] safety at times, wearing my Trump hat and bag and more to attract—well, must admit I did let rotten eggs, tomatoes, slip into my mind—but hoping also to attract discussion. And discussion it did,” she said.
Rinehart said those in their late twenties and thirties were telling her it was hard to get married because they couldn’t afford homes and rental and were worried about their future and being able to afford a family.
Rinehart said young democrats brought up on “years of left propaganda miseducation” were becoming Republicans.
“Why are Americans getting it, and we aren’t?
The billionaire was invited to Mar-a-Lago for Trump’s 2024 election night victory party in Florida. She also met with fellow billionaire Elon Musk in Florida the next morning.
Meanwhile, Trump had very kind words about the Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and even went as far as describing him as a friend on May 5.
Liberals Reflect on Election Loss
The Coalition’s Dutton was not only defeated at the election, but also lost his seat of Dickson.
Now, the Liberal Party is reflecting on where to take the party next, as well as selecting its next leader.
Sussan Ley, Angus Taylor and Dan Tehan are frontrunners to lead the party, after Andrew Hastie pulled out on May 5.
Liberal Senator Dave Sharma said it was pretty clear the Liberal Party did not do well with young people during the election.
“My view is that those values are as relevant if not more relevant now than they were to previous generations, but you know we haven’t bothered to communicate or familiarise young people with, ’this is what we are about as a party.’”
