Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Former federal Liberal MP Alby Schultz has launched a passionate defence of his longtime friend and billionaire Gina Rinehart, urging the Australian media to lay off the country's most successful businesswoman.
Speaking from his hospital bed, Mr Schultz, who is being treated for cancer, said Mrs Rinehart deserved more recognition for her philanthropy and economic success.
"I know what a lovely, kind person she is and I've never seen the person talked about by her children," Mr Schultz told Fairfax Media on Friday.
"I'm pretty angry with the Australian press because she is not like what she is portrayed to be," he said.
Mr Schultz and his former colleague, cabinet minister Barnaby Joyce, have been cited in the Supreme Court judgment handed down on Thursday, in which two of Mrs Rinehart's children were awarded control of the family trust, estimated to be worth $5 billion.
Mr Joyce and Mr Schultz both wrote to Mrs Rinehart's daughter Hope Welker, urging her to drop the litigation. Hope eventually pulled out of the court action she initially launched with brother John Hancock and sister Bianca Rinehart and reached a settlement. Justice Brereton said Mrs Rinehart and her tactics on proxies bordered on intimidation.
John Hancock has questioned whether Mr Joyce is fit to be a minister after he used his parliamentary email to lobby Hope. Mr Schultz said he and his wife contacted Hope on their private email and in their capacity as long-time family friends.
Mr Schultz said he and his wife had first become friends with the Rineharts more than 20 years ago when Mrs Rinehart and his wife, Gloria, met through mutual work supporting research into breast cancer.
Mr Schultz said Mrs Rinehart took over her family company when it was broke and her 6am-midnight work ethic had let to its stunning success.
"What is wrong with the Australian press that they want to put a woman like that down?" Mr Schultz asked.
"She has put more into the economy than any other single Australian," he said.
"She's attacked [but] when she took the company over she was nearly broke and she's put the company where it is today."
"It's a shame that this country hasn't given this woman the due recognition she deserves and it's interesting to note that she has had significant awards given to her internationally, including for her philanthropy.
"Tall poppy has something to do with it but goodness me, people have been treated like tall poppies for a number of years now and I think it's more aggressive and more consistent with Gina."
Gina Rinehart is linked with several prominent Coalition figures, including right wing senator Cory Bernardi as well as deputy Liberal leader Julie Bishop, Brisbane MP Teresa Gambaro and Mr Joyce, who she flew to India for the lavish wedding of a business associate.
