Article by Joe Kelly, National Affairs editor
The nation’s richest person is pushing Australian political and business leaders to emulate Donald Trump’s policy agenda, urging the Albanese government to set up a version of the Department of Government Efficiency and withdraw from the Paris Agreement.
Gina Rinehart says she is hoping that Australians will be “inspired by Donald Trump” but warns there is a risk the country will be left behind if it does not adequately respond to the new policy agenda being rolled out in Washington.
“If we are sensible, we should set up a DOGE immediately, reduce government waste, government tape and regulations,” she said.
Mrs Rinehart also argued in favour of tax cuts while shortening approval processes and compliance in a bid to encourage investment, create jobs and revenue while providing a higher standard of living for Australians.
“Donald Trump has led an important movement with his policies – a movement that is growing and growing,” she told The Australian. “I hope our country is not left behind.”
The US President’s actions in encouraging greater investment in America had served as a “shining light for the world”, she said, and it was time for “people in other countries to now get their governments on board with this”.
Mrs Rinehart, who attended the Starlight Ball in Washington following Mr Trump’s inauguration on Monday, said Australia should withdraw from the Paris Agreement because this was “common sense.”
“The implementation agenda by our governments of the Paris accord is costing our living standards and causing suffering for many Australians and if not abandoned, will likely get worse,” she said.
Mrs Rinehart said Mr Trump had “set the world stage for others to follow” because he understood intermittent energy caused problems for manufacturing and other businesses by pushing up electricity prices, which punished those on low incomes the most.
She also said there was a double standard at play, arguing that renewable and clean energy projects were being fast-tracked and not held to the same standards as other projects, including in the resources and agriculture sectors.
“Farmlands and the environment and native animals’ habitat are being destroyed by the hasty clearing of thousands of miles of countryside for the very expensive intermittent power infrastructure, without any of the studies or safeguard conditions or approvals those in mining and agriculture must go through,” she said.
“We need our politicians to walk away (from the Paris Agreement). That is not Donald Trump’s job or responsibility. It is ours.”
Mrs Rinehart, a Trump supporter who attended the victory celebrations following his election win last November at Mar-a-Lago in Florida, said most Australians knew their country was “off course”.
She said a big-spending government at home was driving up the cost of living, and she hoped the public started to “call for some real leadership in Australia”.
In a blast at woke culture, she said it was time for political and corporate leaders to “hit the stop button” like Mr Trump had done in the US.
“Donald Trump has also declared there are only two true genders,” she said.
“This reset now presents the leadership for other Western nations. This is the type of leadership our nation needs rather than … corporates who are too scared to take on this cult in Australia.”
Ms Rinehart praised the inauguration address from Mr Trump for its restoration of “sensible leadership” that would help to “fix America after four years of rising costs, failing businesses (and) declining standards of living”.
