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Give locals jobs, Katter tells Rinehart

30 August 2012 | Content provided to you by AAP.

Mining magnate Gina Rinehart should not employ foreign workers if she genuinely wants Australians to be richer, north Queensland MP Bob Katter says.

Ms Rinehart caused a stir with her regular column in the Australian Resources and Investment magazine, saying those who are jealous of the wealthy should start working harder and cut down on drinking, smoking and socialising.

Ms Rinehart says it is billionaires like herself who are doing more than anyone to help the poor by investing their money and creating jobs.

But Mr Katter said Ms Rinehart would be more believable if she did not want to import foreign workers for coal mines in Queensland's Galilee Basin.

"So thank you for your advice Gina, but this demonstrates the most burning question before the Australian people today," he said.

"Are we going to give the 200,000 jobs that are coming with the coal expansion in the Galilee Basin ... and in iron ore to foreign workers as Gina Rinehart wants?

"Bringing in the foreign workers is not about her being unable to get Australians to do those jobs, it's about cutting back pays."

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