Post by Melissa Sweet

Introduction by Croakey: In Australia, as in the United States, relations between major media companies and the rich and powerful are uncomfortably close. News Corp’s Bush Summit – billed as “the nation’s largest – and most vital – conversation between the bush and powerbrokers” – has resulted in plentiful media coverage for mining magnate Gina Rinehart AO. Indeed, Hancock Prospecting’s website has republished an article from The Australian newspaper headlined, ‘Gina Rinehart to Pauline Hanson: “You give our country hope”.’ It reports that Rinehart gifted One Nation leader Senator Pauline Hanson a toy bulldozer to help “cut government tape and bureaucracy” when delivering the keynote address at the Townsville Bulletin Bush Summit last week. Rinehart also suggested that Australia give the world’s wealthiest man, Elon Musk, land for his SpaceX satellite construction, just days after she emerged with a $US1 billion (about $1.4 billion) stake in SpaceX. And Israeli companies could develop their advanced defence technology in Australia, she suggested. After watching the bulldozer stunt, public health advocate Caterina Giorgi reflected on the harm that One Nation would cause to people experiencing the greatest disadvantage if their presence in Parliament increases. “As advocates working to advance equity in all its forms, the question we need to ask ourselves is, ‘What role are we playing in helping to make sure that these policies that will cause harm are not advanced?’,” she writes below.