Gina Rinehart takes aim at Andrew ‘Twiggy’ Forrest’s bold ‘green hydrogen’ plan, praises ‘friend’ Donald Trump

Mining magnate Gina Rinehart has simultaneously smashed a fellow Aussie billionaire while praising her “friend” Donald Trump.

Mining magnate Gina Rinehart has criticised fellow billionaire Andrew ‘Twiggy’ Forrest over his failed “green hydrogen” venture while simultaneously praising her “friend” Donald Trump’s approach to lowering power prices by pushing for more natural gas drilling.

In her fourth video address to the National Bush Summit, Mrs Rinehart argued that renewables and even nuclear energy are not the solution to Australia’s rising energy costs.

Aussies have been stung by the recent surge in electricity prices, something the Albanese government has attempted to subsidise by giving Australian homes $300 towards their power bills in the current financial year.

Mrs Rinehart’s address was part of the six-day Bush Summit held in Orange, sponsored in part by her iconic Australian clothing brand Driza-Bone. The summit is being held in six different regional locations across Australia, including Townsville, Bendigo, Launceston, McLaren Vale, Orange, and Port Hedland.

Without directly naming him, Mrs Rinehart took aim at Forrest’s ambitious plans to produce “green hydrogen” Down Under. Mr Forrest’s bold plan faced massive setbacks last month with 700 jobs lost in the sector.

“If any billionaire wants to spend money on unproven, highly flammable, explosive hydrogen, let them, but this should be at their expense, not as a burden on taxpayers, and not to add to our record national debt,” Mrs Rinehart said.

Mrs Rinehart’s address was part of the six-day Bush Summit held in Orange.

Andrew ‘Twiggy’ Forrest stands in front of a new green energy haul truck.

She took aim at renewable energy sources, which have been heavily promoted by both federal and state governments as the future for Australia.

“It is clear that our governments have got energy policy wrong,” she continued.

“Our bills just keep going up, demand and supply has been interfered with, and our energy system is increasingly unreliable.“

Mrs. Rinehart accused the government of ignoring the warning signs about over-relying on renewables and prematurely shutting down coal-fired power stations.

Several Western powers across the globe have committed to similar fast-tracked transition plans as the damning reality of man-mad climate change dawns on foreign governments and the United Nations.

Rinehart praised her “friend” Donald Trump’s approach to lowering power prices by pushing for more natural gas drilling.

But Mrs Rinehart says those who believe Australia, one of the most disproportionately populated nations in the world, could solely depend on solar and wind energy should “put these on your own properties”.

“But don’t force it on us when the wind doesn’t always blow and the sun doesn’t always shine, even at night time!” she said.

Mrs Rinehart urged Australia’s leaders to follow in the footsteps of her “pro-energy security friend”, referencing Donald Trump’s famous environmentalist-provoking slogan “drill baby, drill”.

She argued if favour of using Australia’s abundant natural gas reserves, particularly since coal is being phased out.

“Natural gas is needed as a feedstock for manufacturing and processing, aside from its uses to generate electricity,” she said.

Rinehart said anyone who wishes to solely use renewables should be free to do so, but others opting for more traditional energy supply methods should be allowed to continue.

Originally published as Gina Rinehart takes aim at Andrew ‘Twiggy’ Forrest’s bold ‘green hydrogen’ plan, praises ‘friend’ Donald Trump