Australia's richest person

[Belle]

I was at a function this week where Gina Rinehart was a guest; she's Australia's richest person.

https://www.afr.com/brand/afr-magazine/ ... 601-h10u0b

I didn't get much of a chance to speak to her because she was surrounded by the usual suspects, but I was taken by her soft, warm and cultured voice. She came in wearing a flowing cream dress which covered her burgeoning figure, but didn't disguise the fact that weight is obviously an ongoing battle for her. She looked as though her hair hadn't been cut or groomed in ages and it didn't fit the image I had of her as somebody who has everything. Who can tell what private heartache is part of the world of the rich and famous? Their lives are no longer than ours and their relationships no less - probably more - fragile. And who are their real friends?

Mrs. Rinehart, who is about the same age as me, has been involved in a very public battle with her own 4 children over her businesses and wealth. Her late father, mining magnate Lang Hancock, left a share of that enormous business to his grandchildren in what can only have been the biggest piece of mischief in modern corporate Australian life. Doubtless his daughter, Gina Rinehart, has to live with the consequences of that every single day. The hand that reaches from the grave can be the worst form of retribution.

Commentators and ordinary people have said she should just cede part of her wealth to her children and their partners. But if I know anything at all about children and their spouses/partners I can tell you that's not a good thing to do!!!

[Ricordanza]

Who can tell what private heartache is part of the world of the rich and famous? .... Mrs. Rinehart, who is about the same age as me, has been involved in a very public battle with her own 4 children over her businesses and wealth.

Well, there you go. There's plenty of heartache to go around when a family battles over an estate. I've seen a few of these among families with much less wealth--the bitterness is incredible, and very sad. I've also seen one reconciliation, which gives me hope.

[Belle]

I know all about it!!

My son from Perth, Western Australia, is with us at the moment and he happens to work as a manager for a company which contracts to Mrs. Rinehart's Roy Hill Mine in the Pilbara region of Western Australia (as well as other resource giants).

https://www.royhill.com.au/overview/project-overview/

His job entails flying all over the huge states of Western and South Australia. All the time. Last night we discussed this issue of huge wealth and Australia's richest at length. He said 'what people don't realize is that this kind of wealth carries with it huge and stressful responsibilities; these people are custodians of the health and well-being of a great many people and this creates a complex set of problems for them, which they can never quite outsource to somebody else". I'm very proud of my son and the wisdom he has developed, far beyond his 39 years!!