<
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/ng-interactive/2026/apr/30/gina-rinehart-one-nation-pauline-hanson-donations-ntwnfb>
"Last November, when Pauline Hanson cooked a steak for Barnaby Joyce in her
parliamentary office, barely anyone raised an eyebrow that the wagyu on the
menu was from 2GR – Gina Rinehart’s beef company.
Umami-rich marbled beef from the brand, named after Australia’s richest person
and her daughter Ginia, retails at more than $100 a kilogram. It is more at
home in the world’s high-end restaurants than in a sandwich press.
But its presence in Hanson’s office as part of a carefully curated media stunt
showed that Rinehart was already playing a part in One Nation’s expansionist
push, which has been gathering pace over the past six months.
Soon after the dinner, Joyce – who is one of Rinehart’s most loyal friends in
the Australian parliament – announced his defection from the Nationals to One
Nation, confirming his move on radio in Tamworth in early December on “Macca’s”
88.9FM breakfast program.
“I think I almost had to declare those steaks – I didn’t realise they were
wagyu, they were very, very nice,” Joyce joked.
Looking up to make eye contact with the studio camera, Hanson piped up as if in
a commercial: “2GR! 2GR!”
In the clip, an impeccably made-up Hanson is wearing a blue-and-white check
shirt branded S Kidman and Co – another of Rinehart’s companies. And later that
day she boarded the S Kidman and Co private aircraft to hitch a ride home to
Brisbane alongside her fellow NSW One Nation senator Sean Bell.
The flight was not declared in line with Senate rules until many months later,
after the
Guardian had contacted Hanson’s office asking about her travel
arrangements that day."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
