GINA Rinehart cancelled her visit to Mount Isa for her orchestrated National Mining Day event held on Tuesday where she was to be the keynote speaker.
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In attendance was the new Queensland Resources Council’s chief executive Ian Macfarlane and state shadow minister for natural resources and mines Andrew Cripps.
Mr Macfarlane, a former federal resources minister, also toured Mount Isa Mines earlier that day.
Three Hancock Prospecting directors were at the event held at the John Midlin Centre. Director Ian Plimer spoke on Mrs Rinehart’s behalf, and by reading her speech claimed American president-elect Donald Trump won because the people wanted less bureaucracy stifling their industry.
“This is the analogy she uses. Why can’t we do that in Australia while we have growth, a situation of less red tape?” Professor Plimer said. He believed the mining industry was being targeted by politicians pressured to spend more money on constituents.
“The mining industry is not an ATM or a cash cow. It is not the source of all wealth in this country. It has to compete internationally,” he said.
On behalf of Australia’s richest woman, he also presented the Young Professional Award to Mount Isa Mines’ geology superintendent Rhonda O’Sullivan.
Ms O’Sullivan is also the chairwoman for the local branch of the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, and was recognised for her contributions to organisations such as the Zonta Club of Mount Isa.
Professor Plimer managed to keep the award a secret from Ms O’Sullivan, who had been hosting the Hancock Prospecting director while he visited Mount Isa.
She briefly spoke on her appreciation of being acknowledged.
Glencore’s Australian Copper Assets chief operating officer Mike Westerman said that Ms O’Sullivan “spends a lot of time outside of her role developing other women. It’s thoroughly well deserved.
“Her success and contribution in Mount Isa highlights the opportunities that mining can create for professionals to make a real difference in the communities in which we operate, and play a role in enriching the social fabric of regional Australia.”