Mining magnate Gina Rinehart responds to Russia ban, says Australia ‘should be more determined to build up our defence’

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Article by Bryant Hevesi courtesy of Sky News.

Billionaire mining magnate Gina Rinehart says Australia urgently needs capable missiles and war drones as she called for the nation to be “more determined to build up our defence”.

Ms Rinehart’s remarks were included in a statement issued after she was named on a list of 121 Australians banned from travelling to Russia.

“The terrible war in Ukraine is a stark reminder for Australians, that we should be more determined to build up our defence,” Ms Rinehart’s statement said.

She said Australia should also be “more determined to be more self sufficient, including in what is needed for our defence, plus critical minerals and medicines”.

“And not take measures to disrupt our industries, hospitals and homes, with measures that hamper production and make our fuel and electricity expensive and or unreliable,” Ms Rinehart said.

Mrs Gina Rinehart AO
Billionaire mining magnate Gina Rinehart was one of 121 Australians to be included in Russia's ban list announced on Wednesday night. Picture: Hancock Prospecting

“In my view, we should be rushing to cut government tape to make all this possible, and to make more investment and production possible as quickly as we can, to build up our revenue, so that we can defend ourselves.

“We urgently need millions of smart mines in our thousands of kilometres of otherwise indefensible oceans, and capable missiles, war drones, and more.

“We need far more people in our defence force, and our vets able to help with hr and perform such training and undertake other suitable military jobs, without losing their pensions, and without onerous paperwork.”

Moscow released its “stop list” this week “in response to the growing sanctions of the Australian government” amid the Ukraine war.

Russia’s Foreign Ministry claimed the “Russophobic agenda” from the 121 individuals on the list meant they were “indefinitely” banned.

“Much as I have very nice Russian friends and enjoyed very much my two visits to St Petersburg, and would love to revisit, I would not wish to do so if not welcomed, or if I have concerns for my safety,” Ms Rinehart said.

“If speaking out in the manner above means I can never visit Russia again in my lifetime, so be it, because it’s far more important for Australia, that action is taken as outlined above, so I will continue to voice my concerns.

“I hope other Australians also consider very very carefully any visits to Russia.”

Sky News Australia host Andrew Bolt and Canberra-based political reporter Jonathan Lea were also among the journalists, editors, prominent media and business executives, military officers and government officials who were backlisted by Russia.

Also banned by the Russian Foreign Ministry is News Corp co-chairman Lachlan Murdoch, while a surprising addition was newly-elected South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas who is believed to be banned due to his Lithuanian background.

“Entry to the Russian Federation for these persons is closed on an indefinite basis in response to the growing sanctions of the Australian government, which apply to an increasing number of Russian citizens – both officials and their families, as well as representatives of the business community and the media,” a statement from Russia’s Foreign Ministry said.

The Foreign Ministry flagged it will likely add further names to the list.

“Taking into account the fact that Canberra does not intend to abandon the anti-Russian course and continues to produce new sanctions, work on updating the Russian ‘stop list’ will continue,” it said.

Full banned list

Rebecca Armitage (ABC)
Gay Alcorn (The Age)
Monica Attard (University of Technology Sydney)
Justin Bassi (Australian Strategic Policy Institute)
Simon Benson (The Australian)
John Blaxland (Australian National University)
Greg Bilton (ADF)
Olga Boichak (University of Technology Sydney)
Andrew Bolt (Sky News)
Michael Brissenden (ABC)
Annika Burgess (ABC)
Rick Burr (ADF)
Ita Buttrose (ABC)
Angus Campbell (ADF)
Eric Campbell (ABC)
Mike Cannon-Brookes (Atlassian)
Peter Costello (Nine)
Anthony Dalton (ADF)
Jason Dasey (ABC)
Mark Davies (Rio Tinto)
Malcolm Davis (Australian Institute for Strategic Policy)
Anthony De Ceglie (West Australian)
Robert Denney (ADF)
Paul Dibb (Australian National University)
Christopher Dore (The Australian)
Tim Elliott (Sydney Morning Herald)
Ben English (Daily Telegraph)
Scott Farquhar (Atlassian)
Andrew Forrest (Fortescue Metals Group)
Natasha Fox (ADF)
Anthony Fraser (ADF)
John Frewen (ADF)
Michael Fullilove (Lowy institute)
Anthony Galloway (Sydney Morning Herald)
Kate Geraghty (Sydney Morning Herald)
Darren Goldie (ADF)
Stan Grant (ABC)
Carrie-Anne Greenback (Nine)
Justine Greig (ADF)
Chris Griffith (The Australian)
Darren Goldie (ADF)
Steven Groves (Department of Defence)
Mark Hammond (ADF)
Peter Hartcher (Sydney Morning Herald)
Rob Harris (Sydney Morning Herald)
Samantha Hawley (ABC)
Liz Hayes (Nine)
Amanda Hodge (The Australian)
Robert Horvath (La Trobe)
Peter Hoysted (The Australian)
Mel Hupfeld (ADF)
Sumeyya Ilanbey (The Age)
Peter Jennings (Australian Strategic Policy Institute)
Stephen Jobson (ADF)
David Johnston (ADF)
Gemma Jones (The Advertiser)
Anastasia Kapetas (Australian Strategic Policy Institute)
Patricia Karvelas (ABC)
Paul Kelly (The Australian)
Paul Kenny (ADF)
Peter Layton (Griffith University)
Jonathan Lea (Sky News)
Jacquelin Magnay (The Australian)
Jess Malcolm (The Australian)
Peter Malinauskas (Premier of South Australia)
Jonathan Mead (ADF)
Stephen Meredith (ADF)
Michael Miller (News Corp Australia)
Tanya Monro (ADF)
Greg Moriarty (Department of Defence)
Lachlan Murdoch (News Corp)
Prudence Murdoch MacLeod (News Corp)
Robert Murray (Southern Cross Austereo)
Sean Nicholls (ABC)
Michael Noonan (ADF)
Ben Packham (The Australian)
Kellie Parker (Nine)
Aaron Patrick (Australian Financial Review)
Matthew Pearse (ADF)
Stephen Pearson (Department of Defence)
Celia Perkins (Department of Defence)
Robert Plath (Department of Defence)
Pete Quinn (ADF)
Kishor Napier-Raman (Sydney Morning Herald)
Ellen Ransley (News Corp Australia Newswire)
Katherine Richards (ADF)
Graham Richardson (The Australian)
Gina Rinehart (Hancock Prospecting)
Gavan Reynolds (Defence)
Geoffrey Roberston (Barrister)
Mick Ryan (Military expert)
Daniel Sankey (The Australian)
Ben Saul (University of Sydney)
George Savvides (SBS)
Greg Sheridan (The Australian)
Bevan Shields (Sydney Morning Herald)
Michael Shoebridge (Australian Strategic Policy Institute)
John Silvester (The Age)
Brian Paul Schmidt (Australian National University)
Christopher Smith (ADF)
Mike Sneesby (Nine)
Kerry Stokes (Seven West Media)
Simon Stuart (ADF)
Michael Stutchbury (Australian Financial Review)
Matthew Sussex (Australian National University)
Will Swanton (The Australian)
Lucy Sweeney (ABC)
Peter Tesch (Defence)
David Thomae (ADF)
Harry Triguboff (Meriton)
Simon Trott (Rio Tinto)
Jarrod Villani (Paramount Australian and New Zealand)
Toby Walsh (Academic)
Sam Weir (Herald Sun)
Geoff Winestock (Sydney Morning Herald)
Scott Winter (ADF)
Tony Wright (The Age)
Richard Wood (Nine)
Matt Yannopoulos (Defence)
Сhris Zappone (Sydney Morning Herald)
Misha Zelinsky (Australian Financial Review)

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