Treasurer Wayne Swan has slammed mining magnate Gina Rinehart for insulting Australian workers after she accused people of being jealous of the wealthy.
Ms Rinehart, Australia's richest person, says those who are jealous of the wealthy should start working harder and cut down on drinking, smoking and socialising.
In her regular column in Australian Resources and Investment magazine she writes it is billionaires like herself who are doing more than anyone to help the poor by investing their money and creating jobs.
She also suggests the government should lower the minimum wage of $606.40 a week and cut taxes to stimulate employment.
But Mr Swan said the comments were "an insult to the millions of Australian workers who go to work and slog it out to feed the kids and pay the bills".
