Article by Brad Thompson, courtesy of The Australian.
Gina Rinehart and her top executives are on the hunt for investment in the US as Donald Trump prepares to take the reins as president for the second time.
It is understood they are focusing on opportunities in mining, oil and gas and agriculture as Australia’s richest person looks to make her investment mark in the US.
The high-powered team of executives travelling with Mrs Rinehart includes Hancock Agriculture boss Adam Giles and Hancock Energy chief executive Stuart Johnson.
Hancock Prospecting chief executive Garry Korte, Hancock general manager of business development Dan Wade and Roy Hill iron ore mine boss Gerhard Veldsman are also in the US along with Carlos de Miguel, who runs a Hancock’s exploration and mining arm based in South America, and geologist and Hancock Prospecting director Ian Plimer.
Mrs Rinehart is scheduled to attend the Trump inauguration after being part of election victory celebrations at the Republican leader’s Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida last November.
Some of the group will stay on after the inauguration and are expected to visit Texas and other states.
Mr Giles said the group was in the US in a show of support for Mr Trump and his policies as well as to assess investments.
The former Northern Territory chief minister who now runs Mrs Rinehart vast cattle empire took a swipe at the investment climate in Australia.
“We have come to support the new Trump administration as he and the Republicans seek to implement their policies to increase investment and economic development through cutting red tape, reducing government regulation, lowering taxes and creating an environment conducive to attracting foreign investment, creating more jobs and better living conditions for Americans,” he said.
“And he will cut illegal and unskilled immigration.
“These policies are what Australia needs. Instead we get more red tape, the world’s highest electricity prices, ever increasing taxes and an economic environment where government frowns upon business and free enterprise.”
Mr Giles said “socialist policies” were holding Australians back and having a detrimental impact on investment.
“It sends investment overseas, cuts our disposable income, reduces our living standards, places greater pressure on families, and ultimately impacts community break downs and we see this through increasing crime in towns and streets right around our country. Something that is getting worse and worse.
“We need a change of direction in Australia. Maybe we can learn something from the US and set our country back on track.”
Mrs Rinehart visited the Arlington National Cemetery overlooking Washington and then some of the Hancock travelling party attended the Newsmax ball in the US capital on the night before the inauguration. Other guests at the ball included foreign minister Penny Wong and former prime minister Kevin Rudd, who is Australia’s ambassador to the US.
Mrs Rinehart has urged Opposition leader Peter Dutton and the Coalition to follow Mr Trump’s lead with an uncompromising policy agenda in the countdown to the federal election.
The WA-based billionaire has accused the Albanese government of making policy choices that have made it harder to develop resources projects essential to maintaining living standards in Australia.
Her criticisms have centred on energy policy, industrial relations changes and so-called nature positive laws.
Mrs Rinehart took out a series of full-page advertisements in The New York Post to congratulate Mr Trump on his return to the White House.
“Many in Australia and around the world are given hope and much-needed inspiration thanks to your election,” the ads signed by “Gina Rinehart and friends” said.
Another Australian billionaire, packaging titan Anthony Pratt, has paid for a similar full-page advertisement in The New York Times praising Mr Trump.
