World's Richest Woman Wants Wage Cut for Workers (VIDEO)
The world's richest woman is the focus of harsh criticism after she made comments regarding the low wages workers make in other countries.
Gina Rinehart, the Australian mining giant, stated that her country is becoming less hospitable for mining firms eager to construct new mines given the new taxes recently implemented as well as the decision of other firms to relocate in other countries where paid wages are significantly less.
"The evidence is inarguable that Australia is becoming too expensive and too uncompetitive to do export-oriented business," Rinehart told the Sydney Mining Club in a video posted to the clubs website.
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"Africans want to work, and its workers are willing to work for less than $2 per day," she said in the video. "Such statistics make me worry for this country's future … We are becoming a high-cost and high-risk nation for investment," she added.
Rinehart's company, Hancock Prospecting, was given governmental approval earlier this year hire about 1,700 foreign construction workers for her Roy Hill project in Western Australia, according to reports from The Sydney Morning Herald.
Rinehart's comments were quickly shot down by Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard, who revealed that the state of the mining sector was fine, adding that there had been significant investment of nearly $500 billion in the industry.
"It's not the Australian way to toss people $2, to toss them a gold coin, and then ask them to work for a day," Gillard told reporters. "We support proper Australian wages and decent working conditions."
Rinehart recently drew the scorn of many of her countrymen after she stated that more people would be rich if they didn't drink and socialize as much.
"There is no monopoly on becoming a millionaire. If you're jealous of those with more money don't just sit there and complain, do something to make more money yourself," Rinehart told Australian Resources and Investment magazine. "Spend less time drinking, smoking and socializing and more time working," she added.
