Revealed: what billionaire Andrew Forrest wrote to the PM

It was hardly a surprise to learn that Andrew “Twiggy” Forrest, executive chairman of the mining giant Fortescue, was making personal overtures to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese over the billionaire’s campaign to wind back the diesel fuel rebate.

What did amuse us, however, was the whiff of desperation with which Twiggy was forced to write to Albo asking to discuss the proposed reforms, in a letter sent before the May 12 federal budget.

In his April 14 letter, Forrest urged Albanese to consider introducing a $50 million cap on the diesel fuel rebate before the budget. The rebate, he wrote, refunds $11 billion a year to businesses, much of it flowing to large miners. Of course, it never came. (At least not this financial year, Energy Minister Chris Bowen said last month.)

But the missive and accompanying correspondence between the Prime Minister’s Office and Fortescue obtained by CBD under freedom of information laws show Twiggy couldn’t get Albanese’s ear.

“I appreciate this is a busy period,” Twiggy wrote in the letter. “I tried to reach you last week and also offered to meet Treasurer Chalmers in Washington this week to discuss the proposal directly. I urge you to consider this reform in the May budget.”

It’s not often we see the billionaire reveal a little neediness. After all, the Prime Minister’s Office and Fortescue are known to have a decent working relationship.

Beyond the staffing connection, though, it’s not uncommon for the prime minister to meet with business bosses. So why was it so difficult for Twiggy to get his ear?

“[Chalmers] has also personally met with the CEO, Mr [Dino] Otranto, on at least three occasions in the past 12 months in both Canberra and at Fortescue HQ in Perth,” the spokeswoman said.

Fortescue, meanwhile, noted it isn’t alone in calling for the reform and said everything the company has to say about the proposal has been said publicly.

“As with any policy reform, there have been ongoing discussions with government, industry and other stakeholders over an extended period, and those discussions continue,” a Fortescue spokeswoman told CBD.

To think all this happened before a Federal Court stink began to waft from the billionaire after Fortescue was ordered to pay $150 million in compensation to the Yindjibarndi people for mining on their lands without consent. Our best guess is Albo just didn’t want to share the budget spotlight.

Former opposition leader Peter Dutton has managed to keep a relatively low profile following his defeat at last year’s federal election, where he lost his seat to Labor MP Ali France.