Australian mining’s footy trip mentality to offshore operations must end

October 13, 2026 — 7:30pm

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Too often, Australian companies operating offshore, particularly in countries with dubious political safeguards, seem to have a footy trip mentality – what happens on tour should stay on tour. Too often, also, a lack of attention is paid to those companies’ offshore pursuits, allowing that culture to persist.

In the past week, The Age has published a series of articles scrutinising the push by Hanrine – a company belonging to Australia’s richest person, Gina Rinehart – into Ecuador.

Issues raised include whether the company has appropriately tackled the illegal mining scourge on its concessions in the township of La Merced de Buenos Aires and whether it was complicit with the heavy-handed Ecuadorian security force response to a largely peaceful community protest against Hanrine’s activities.

Hanrine not only denied all allegations but attacked the local community leaders as “anti-prosperity activists” in league with the armed illegal miners who have terrorised them. That is an insulting, condescending and inappropriate way to talk about people........

© The Age