Cattle queen calls for expansion stampede

GINA Rinehart believes the nation’s beef industry could be 10 times bigger under her blueprint to develop Northern Australia.

Australia’s richest woman wants to cut red tape, slash tax and tap wild rivers to open up the nation’s agricultural potential in the Top End.

The iron ore heiress, worth an estimated $ 10.4 bil- lion, is now one of the three biggest beef cattle producers in the country after her joint- venture purchase of the historic S. Kidman & Co pastoral portfolio.

Ms Rinehart, in a speech to the Developing Northern Australia conference in Cairns yesterday, said new water licences, fewer regulations and the latest digital technology were the only way to compete with rivals such as Brazil. “We have the room, we have the skills, we have the know- how, we have the history and the Asian market right on our doorstep,’’ she said, in a prerecorded speech.

Australia’s 27 million head of cattle is dwarfed almost 10 times by the 225 million head in Brazil, despite similar land mass and climate. Ms Rinehart’s send 800,000 to vision cattle is to China through Townsville, Darwin and Broome, effectively doubling Australia’s total live exports.

“Making it easier for farmers to do business is key to ensuring that Australia doesn’t miss this massive opportunity to develop and grow the north,’’ she told the conference.

Ms Rinehart has 21 stations across Australia, which include properties owned by her company Hancock Prospecting and Australian Outback Beef – a joint venture between Hancock and Shanghai CRED.

The billionaire cattle queen is a strong advocate for a special economic zone across Northern Australia to join 3000 others around the world, such as Hong Kong and China’s Shenzhen zone to offer low tax to attract investment.