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Rinehart to claim Australia’s truffle farming crown

Mining magnate Gina Rinehart is quietly on her way to becoming Australia’s biggest truffle grower. “We’re always looking for good opportunities to invest and grow,” she told The Australian Financial Review. The truffles are being grown near the award-winning Bannister Downs Dairy at Northcliffe that Mrs Rinehart has owned in partnership with the Daubney family since 2014. Mrs Rinehart shed light on the venture when announcing yet another bonus stream for workers on her iron ore mines, who are already some of the best paid – and best fed – in the resources industry.

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Mrs Gina Rinehart AO, has announced additional support for Foodbank WA through Hancock Prospecting’s ownership interest in Bannister Downs Dairy.

In a timely announcement given the many WA families struggling with food stress, our Executive Chairman, Mrs Gina Rinehart AO, has announced additional support for Foodbank WA through Hancock Prospecting’s ownership interest in Bannister Downs Dairy. A new weekly fresh milk delivery will be provided to Foodbank WA’s Centre for Hunger Relief at Perth Airport and distributed to all branches across the state. It builds on more than 10 years of support Bannister Downs has provided to Foodbank WA through their south-west operations.

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Farmers Wary of IR Bill

A nationwide overhaul of industrial relations laws has passed through the House of Representatives, angering farmers who had urged Federal Labor to take the “catastrophic” legislation back to the drawing board.

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Kidman buys Aussie icon Driza-Bone brand

Mining magnate Gina Rinehart is expanding her investment footprint into country apparel, with the purchase through her S. Kidman & Co pastoral company of bush outfitters Driza-Bone. From sheltering soldiers at Gallipoli during World War One, to being worn by our Olympians for the Sydney Olympics, Driza-Bone has been an emblem of Australian quality and resilience,” she said. “We are honoured to carry forward Driza-Bone’s pioneering legacy while supporting its growth. Our family’s and company’s long association with the outback seems to be a natural fit,” Mrs Rinehart said. Kidman & Co chief executive Adam Giles said the company’s investment had ensured Driza-Bone remains in Australian hands and sees two iconic Australian brands unite.

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Hancock adds to its backgrounding capacity with purchase of Northern NSW property

GINA Rinehart’s Hancock Agriculture has expanded its Wagyu cattle backgrounding capacity, with the purchase of a New South Wales property. The 1918ha Split Rock Dairy, situated north of Manilla in the Tamworth region in New South Wales will compliment other backgrounding properties within the Hancock Agriculture portfolio in the region. The property includes irrigated and dryland cropping with 366ha irrigated through 11 pivots.“ The acquisition complements other agricultural acquisitions in the last twelve months including Moolan Downs and Ottleyas well as other smaller acquisitions around Australia that compliment other aggregations.

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Projects regulated to death

As the minister overseeing the process, he has been unable to effect any real change in seven years, so there’s little confidence that change will happen quickly. According to the CCIWA, there are about $381 billion of investment projects in the pipeline that are yet to receive environmental approval that could create an estimated 106,000 jobs. Of those the CCIWA surveyed, 40 per cent were at risk of abandoning their project due to longer-than expected approval times. As outlined in the WA CCI’s Green Web report, businesses have described working with the State Environmental Protection Authority as “laborious and frustrating” with “ever-changing guidelines and shifting goal posts”. Currently, the normal expectation for a mine to come online is eight to 10 years, double traditional expectations of four to five years.

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Cornering a different market?

Mining billionaire Gina Rinehart has taken a majority stake in the Bunbury Farmers Market, heralding a new era for the South West business. The West Australian can reveal that Hancock Prospecting, Mrs Rinehart’s key investment vehicle, has reached a deal with the market’s current owners — Kevin Opferkuch and Graham Heath — but the exact terms were not disclosed. In a statement, Hancock said the investment would help to accelerate plans to grow the much-loved market, including the development of the recently announced Vasse Village Bunbury Farmers Market, which is set to open in late 2024. “Additional future sites, including Perth locations, will also allow new customers to enjoy the unique BFM experience,” Hancock said.

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