Gina Rinehart’s Not-So-Secret Push to Import MAGA Politics to Australia

Australia has always run its own brand of conservative politics, but a sharper, more imported edge has appeared in recent years. At the centre of it is Gina Rinehart, Australia’s richest person, using the family mining fortune she inherited from her father Lang Hancock to bankroll groups that want to shift the country further right.

The numbers tell the story clearly. In the 2024-25 financial year, Rinehart’s Hancock Prospecting donated $895,000 to Advance Australia, making it the single largest donor to the right-wing campaign group. The same company also gave $105,000 to the Victorian Liberals and another Rinehart-linked entity added $99,000 to the WA Liberals. Advance Australia has spent millions on advertising, pushing hard anti-immigration messages, attacks on climate policy, and culture-war framing that mirrors the more aggressive side of American MAGA politics.

This is not quiet philanthropy. It is strategic funding aimed at changing the direction of Australian politics. Advance has openly celebrated campaigns that targeted the Greens and worked to harden conservative positions on issues that play straight out of the MAGA handbook.

A recent image captures the vibe perfectly. It shows a group of young Australians, some wearing cowboy hats, gathered at what looks like a US conservative event. The headline reads: “Rinehart cheers young Aussies on MAGA fact-finding mission.” The photo, widely shared on Reddit, shows the direct connection between Rinehart’s money and the effort to import that style of politics.

This pattern is exactly why the Auspol On SOL project was created. Built on the Solana blockchain, Auspol On SOL is a community-driven counter-movement. It uses memes, sharp writing, and decentralised tools to push back against big-money far-right influence and defend “The Australian Way” – a fairer, more independent approach to politics. Through the $AUSPOL token and a growing network of creators, the project runs active blogs on Bulb and Publish0x, plus a strong presence on The Gems via Bluesky. It proves everyday Australians can organise and respond without needing billionaire backing.
The donations are now public record, but the influence they buy remains huge. If you follow Australian politics, this story matters. Transparency is improving, yet the push to MAGA-ify the conversation continues.

Read the full details:
https://michaelwest.com.au/the-billionaires-bankrolling-rightwing-astroturfer-advance-australia
https://www.reddit.com/r/friendlyjordies/comments/1s4xbzk/lol/
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2026/feb/02/gina-rinehart-political-donations-hancock-prospecting

All our links: https://portrait.so/auspoldotsol
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