Gina Rinehart confirms rift with Peter Dutton over gas policy
Gina Rinehart says her "respect for Peter Dutton, his character and integrity continues, irrespective of our various differences at times". (AAP: Richard Wainwright)
Billionaire conservative fundraiser Gina Rinehart has confirmed she has fallen out with Peter Dutton over the opposition leader's gas reservation plan, joining other industry figures complaining about a lack of policy detail.
The ABC on Thursday revealed the relationship between the two has soured, after Ms Rinehart's Hancock Energy website posted several news stories critical of the Coalition plan, which was announced in last week's budget reply speech in the absence of a press release or long-promised modelling.
Mr Dutton pushed back at suggestions the clash has become personal and said he has "respect for Gina Rinehart as Australia's most successful businesswoman".
"We'll have points of difference with many people, but that doesn't mean it impacts your friendship or your relationship with different business people," Mr Dutton told reporters in Sydney on Friday.
"So that's the best response I can give you."
Rinehart disappointed over business agenda
Sources told the ABC on Thursday that Ms Rinehart has been disappointed that Mr Dutton has failed to adopt a more overtly pro-business agenda on industrial relations and tax.
"She felt like he talked a big game until he had to deliver,"one Coalition source said.
Ms Rinehart on Friday posted a statement on her website insisting that her friendship with Mr Dutton "existed before he became leader of the opposition".
"The beauty of the non-left side of politics, indeed around the world, is that people can disagree on issues at times and still remain good friends.
"My respect for Peter Dutton, his character and integrity continues, irrespective of our various differences at times."
A separate statement posted below Ms Rinehart's comments, by Hancock Energy CEO Stuart Johnston, echoed industry criticism of the Dutton gas plan, which includes forcing gas exporters to divert supply destined for offshore markets to domestic buyers at no more than $10 a gigajoule. The current price is around $14 a gigajoule.
"Like others in the industry we are keen to see the details of the policy to understand how it will encourage continued investment," Mr Johnston wrote.
"Hancock believes that an abundant supply of gas is vital for reliable electricity, including for homes, hospitals, security, airports, businesses and more across Australia, and welcomes measures to streamline government approvals and provide policy certainty, to ensure Australia as a country is not overlooked for the necessary investment."
Gas business not impacted by policy
Both Ms Rinehart and Mr Johnston said Hancock's gas businesses were not "currently" expected to be affected by Mr Dutton's policy as described in his budget reply speech.
"Since 2022 Hancock has invested in excess of $2 billion into the Australian gas industry," he said.
"Given that most of our existing eastern states gas production through our investment in Senex has been sold under long-term contracts, we do not believe we would be affected by the Coalition policy, at least currently."
Mr Dutton, who almost a week ago promised to publish details and modelling of his gas plan "very soon", said on Friday that Ms Rinehart employs thousands of Australians.
"And normally the Labor Party would celebrate that as well," he said.
"There is an enormous contribution that the mining sector makes to Australia and we just evidenced that yesterday in Western Australia," Mr Dutton said, speaking a day after visiting Perth.
"Without WA pumping as an economy, we aren't paying for roads here in Western Sydney and we aren't paying for schools and we aren't building tunnels and infrastructure without that revenue from the mining sector."