Gina Rinehart proposes bold idea for Australia after having a private meeting with Elon Musk

Australia’s richest person has met the world’s richest man.

Mining magnate Gina Rinehart had a private meeting with Tesla CEO and owner of X Elon Musk in Florida the day after Donald Trump’s win in the US presidential election almost two weeks ago.

Ms Rinehart, who along with Mr Musk attended the exclusive party celebrating Mr Trump’s stunning return to the White House at the Mar-a-Lago resort he owns, confirmed the meeting in a statement sent to the Australian Financial Review.

It has since been announced that Mr Musk, whose net worth is estimated to be north of $466billion, will head a Department of Government Efficiency to cut bureaucratic waste and bloat.

Ms Rinehart, who chairs Hancock Prospecting and has an estimated net worth of around $30billion, said Australia would do well to copy this style of initiative as she reported what she said to Mr Musk.

‘It gave me the opportunity to thank him for his loyal, steadfast support of President Trump despite all the lies and misrepresentations and worse that was thrown at the president (that’s what real friendship is),’ Ms Rinehart said.

‘[It was] a chance to congratulate Elon on his leadership to drive an office of government efficiency, to cut government waste, this being much needed in Australia too.

‘Both countries are running huge debts, which leads to higher taxation, high interest and inflation, affecting us all, so it’s very important to cut government waste as Elon advocates.’

Ms Rinehart said Mr Musk is also determined to push ‘the right of free speech’ in Australia.

In October, X successfully resisted a legal demand from Australia’s e-Safety Commissioner to remove footage of the stabbing of Sydney Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel.

Perhaps surprisingly, another topic of conversation between Ms Rinehart and Mr Musk was the fate of a pet squirrel named P’Nut.

In a case involving four government authorities and a New York judge, 10 to 12 government employees raided the owners’ house last month, where they ‘searched or ransacked’ the property for five hours before seizing P’Nut and a pet raccoon named Fred. 

Ms Rinehart poses with Mr Trump’s daughter Tiffany Trump at the Republican’s election gathering in Florida

Officials said the racoon was kept without the necessary permit and both pets were euthanised so they could be tested for rabies after P’Nut bit someone involved in the investigation. 

The incident has sparked outrage in right-wing US circles, with many seeing the euthanasia of P’Nut as an example of excessive government interference and cruelty. 

Ms Rinehart said the ‘rescued orphan squirrel’ was ‘loved by its owners for seven years’ and was clearly devoid of rabies.

‘They were treated as though they were drug dealers, their privacy was grossly invaded, and the big hand of government decapitated both of their pets,’ Ms Rinehart said.