Article by Brad Thompson, courtesy of The Australian.
Gina Rinehart says incoming US President Donald Trump has started a great “non-left, non-woke” movement, and has flagged investing billions of dollars in America.
Mrs Rinehart had a prime position at a candlelit dinner hosted by Mr Trump at the National Building Museum on Sunday night, US time, where she mingled with the likes of Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk.
Australia’s richest person has been in the US with five chief executives from her mining, oil and gas and agriculture empire, looking at investment opportunities and to celebrate Mr Trump’s return to the White House.
She attended the dinner with Hancock Prospecting chief executive Garry Korte.
“We see the US will become under President Trump’s leadership, an outstanding investment opportunity, made possible by their focus on decreasing bureaucracy and government tape and regulations,” Mrs Rinehart told The Australian via email.
“President Trump has started the greatest non-left, non-woke movement sweeping the world. Hopefully Australia will not miss out. Like many others, we have already invested and are wanting to invest more billions in the US.”
Mrs Rinehart has attended formal inauguration events and met key members of the new Trump administration as she prepares to make big investments in the US.
“Last night’s candlelit dinner with the President in the very high-ceilinged museum, and his speech there, was one of the two highlights for me so far,” Mrs Rinehart said. “The other being the earlier visit to the Arlington cemetery. As always, the President genuinely acknowledges servicemen and women.”
Mrs Rinehart, a long-time Trump supporter who was part of election victory celebrations at the Republican leader’s Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida last November, remains convinced he will bring big economic changes supported by most Americans.
“Being here you can understand what President Trump means to so many American people and what he will do for the USA,” she said.
“Everywhere he goes, the crowds supporting him are enormous, braving the freezing weather, and they are so passionate in their support for him.
“They are so enthusiastic to see a change from the last four years that saw Americans suffer badly.”
Mrs Rinehart said the US and Australia had faced similar problems in recent years.
“Government wastage, government policies not considering the actual interests of their countrymen, and consequent years of falling living standards,” she said.
“At the Capital One rally yesterday, President Trump spoke, touching on many topics, but still taking time to thank many people who had worked with him and joke with those fortunate enough to be there.
“Most had waited in the freezing weather in long queues since early morning to attend this rally.
“I hope his entire speech is relayed in Australia, and many have the chance to hear it.
“We should listen carefully and learn from what the USA is very soon now to do.
“The agenda to fix America will be huge and where possible, quick.
“No years of royal commissions to tell us the obvious.
“Government red tape and regulations and tax are not inducive to investment, and are causing loss of investment, and hence, falling living standards.”
Mrs Rinehart said the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), overseen by tech billionaire Musk, would get America moving forward and Australia should follow its lead.
Mr Trump has said DOGE will “dismantle government bureaucracy, slash excess regulations, cut wasteful expenditures, and restructure federal agencies”.
Mrs Rinehart said: “Americans greatly appreciate the leadership with DOGE, including those struggling who don’t like to add to their struggles with government wastage and privileges.
“We sure need a DOGE in Australia.
“Even those that were timid RINOS (Republicans in name only) are getting their focus together, helping ensuring timely approvals, tax reform and the President’s mantra of ‘drill baby drill’ to support oil and gas production and reliable electricity.
“Many Republican states are also joining in this lead and actively trying to attract investment by applying their own similar reforms.”
Australia’s CEOs are bracing for newly installed President Trump to begin enacting his sweeping agenda. Westpac chief Anthony Miller believes the Trump presidency will make business more challenging than usual. “I think we will have to navigate that incongruent setting of growth in the US potentially stimulating economic activity in Australia, but against this we have potential risks to the China/US relationship and of course that could have very serious knock-on impacts to Australia too,” he told The Australian’s CEO Survey 2025. “So there are growth opportunities on the one hand and the risk of slowdown challenges on the other.”
