West Australian mining billionaire Gina Rinehart suggests convicted criminals should be allowed to buy their way out of jail.
In a column for Australian Resources and Investment magazine, Mrs Rinehart said the government should consider letting non-violent offenders pay to get out of prison - or pay to avoid serving time altogether - because Australia needs more workers and taxpayers as the population ages.
In the column, she suggests non-violent offenders who cannot afford to pay could agree to give up their voting rights or passport for a nominated period of time.
The ABC reports Mrs Rinehart also praised the tax policies of Ireland, where the company tax rate is 12.5%, and in the Swiss cantons, where they are as low as 9.5%.
"They understand you don't make a country rich by overtaxing it!" she wrote.
She also warned that "irresponsible excessive government spending" would lead to cuts not only in welfare payments, but also essential services.
