Article by Annie Hesse courtesy of the Katherine Times.
Australian mining and agriculture icon Gina Rinehart has thrown her support behind the country’s rural charity, Rural Aid, becoming the organisation’s new patron.
Rural Aid was founded during the 2015 drought and has since forged a reputation for its work in supporting farming families before, during and after disasters.
Chief Executive Officer John Warlters said Rural Aid had to date given a hand-up to thousands of farming families impacted by drought, bushfires and floods, and the charity was well-known nationally for its Buy A Bale campaign.
Since its inception, Rural Aid has raised and distributed more than $100 million of assistance to families across the country.
“We are honoured to have Mrs Rinehart as Rural Aid’s patron and to have her advocating in support of and championing the untiring work that Rural Aid does to enable farming families impacted by disasters receive assistance rapidly wherever they are – be it financial, fodder for livestock, drinking water or a chat with one of Rural Aid’s professionally accredited counsellors,” Mr Warlters said.
Mrs Rinehart has deep ties to agriculture that go back generations.
Her family is one of the longest continuing pastoral families in Australia – starting in the Pilbara region of West Australia in the 1860s, and before that on farms closer to Perth.
Today that pastoral connection continues with S Kidman and Co, founded in 1899 and Hancock Agriculture with the famous 2GR brand founded in 2017 which breeds full blood Wagyu.
“We are appreciative of Mrs Rinehart’s ongoing support and very much look forward to our valued friendship continuing into the future,” Mr Warlters said.
Mrs Rinehart is known to many as successful business person, investing in Australia and employing thousands of people across the country.
“Having grown up on stations which I loved very much, stations and farms have and always will be close to my heart,” she said.
“Rural Aid is an organisation that ‘stands with our mates in the bush’ during their hard times, and it does get tough in the bush, with floods, fires and severe drought, in addition to the usual dangers of snakes, spiders and in some northern areas, crocodiles too.
“As patron of Rural Aid, I encourage all Australians to throw their support behind its ongoing efforts in ensuring that our food producers – our farmers – are able to get back on their feet quickly when drought, flood or bushfire hits them.”
Mrs Rinehart said the mining and agricultural industries were the backbone of the country.
