Ray Hadley says Australia now rides on the back of mining, so the constant lambasting of Gina Rinehart and the industry has to stop.
16.10.2026
Hadley: Gina’s billions help pay for Australia – so why the constant attacks on her and mining?
Ray Hadley says Australia now rides on the back of mining, so the constant lambasting of Gina Rinehart and the industry has to stop.
16.10.2026
Ray Hadley said Australia used to ride on the sheep’s back, but now rides on the back of mining, so the constant lambasting of the industry has to stop.
He said you keep hearing the same tired calls — get rid of coal, get rid of mining — but do people saying that have any idea what mining taxes and royalties have done for this country? “They’ve helped pay for hospitals, doctors, nurses, police, ambulances, fire services and schools. The list goes on and on,” Hadley said.
Hadley said Gina Rinehart and others in the industry were “hammered again and again” — and they shouldn’t be.
In 2024–25 alone, Rinehart paid $3 billion in tax, while her family company paid $23 billion – and still she is criticised, he said.
He said while Rinehart was paying billions into Australia, multinational giants were contributing only millions in tax: Apple paid $200 million, Microsoft paid $160 million and Tesla paid $36 million.
“Now you tell me: who’s having a lend of us here in Australia? Is it the mining industry?” he asked.