Gina Rinehart invests in yet another cash cow

As if holding the greatest share of WA’s mineral resources industry isn’t enough for business tycoon Gina Rinehart, she is now buying up big in farming.

Australia’s richest person will invest more than $12 million in Bannister Downs Farms, near Northcliffe, which are currently owned by homey-looking couple Mat and Sue Daubney.

A lot of Rinehart’s money will go towards Bannister Downs building a milk processing plant that looks like costing some $20 million, while part of the investment will go towards developing “Australia’s most modern robotic dairy” (the mind boggles).

Since winning a string of awards, Bannister Downs is in high wholesale and retail demand – famed for delivering premium quality milk, and adopting eco-friendly production and packaging principles.

One could assume Gina Rinehart’s recent interest in farming is an attempt to soften the often ‘callous’ business nous she is renowned for. After all, cows and chickadees are a lot cuter on the eye than great iron-ore grazing machinery.

Whatever her reasons, primary business investment in Western Australia – a state that has focused on more secondary corporate venture over the past decade – can only be a good thing. It’s like seeing a return to WA’s farming roots. Now if we can only get more rain falling on this darned land…  Antonino Tati