How does power work in the West? Gina Rinehart is person of the year

Anyone who has lived for a decent amount of time in Western Australia’s capital will be familiar with being “Perthed”. At parties, on first dates, during workplace icebreakers, you can more or less set your watch by how long it takes two newly introduced people to find out where they have a mutual close friend or social group in common somewhere in the giant country town*. This, as the events of the weekend demonstrate, applies to the highest levels of power in the state.

Anyone who bristled at our characterisation of departed Western Australian emperor premier Mark McGowan as someone far too ensconced in big business to offer voters any true alternatives might wish to consider literally his final act in the role.

On Friday, he awarded Western Australia’s Person of the Year — decided by Celebrate WA, a non-profit sponsored by BHP, the WA government and Lotterywest — to the humble and under-recognised comedian, poet, Trumpette and mining billionaire Gina Rinehart.

Australia’s richest person was recognised for her “outstanding contribution to the state and national economy” — we take back our cynicism, she should win EVERY year! — and led the crowd in a round of applause for McGowan, who she said would be greatly missed.

The state’s only daily paper, The West Australian, reportedly breathlessly:

Mrs Rinehart not only developed a successful mine, she also, in a world first, had massive mining trucks and trains painted pink in support of those suffering breast cancer, and in support of women in the mines.

Mrs Rinehart prefers to keep a low profile but is a champion of philanthropy and giving back to the community. Her ongoing support has financially aided several medical, sporting, educational, health and community organisations.

The Nine papers over the weekend reported that Australia’s most decorated living soldier and current PR avalanche Ben Roberts-Smith had sent a legal threat to the billionaire, warning he would sue an Afghanistan veteran (and a relative of Rinehart) if the ex-soldier spoke ill of him. We wonder if The West‘s owner and McGowan texting buddy Kerry Stokes would have picked up the tab for that case too?

*In case you think I’m exaggerating, I just scrolled down the list of other recipients and was happy to see that Ben’s brother Andrew, who I met at a house party in 2005, is doing so well.