Spotlight On Shorten

Editorial - The Australian

Union boss fills in the blanks for bankrupt mine company.

No one would suggest union leader Bill Shorten has anything other than the most profound concern for the welfare of the two miners trapped underground at Tasmania's Beaconsfield goldmine. The national secretary of the Australian Workers Union, which represents many of the miners, Mr Shorten spent 30 hours in the air last week to reach Tasmania from Canada after he heard about the rock fall of nine days ago. He was on the ground in Beaconsfield to console the miners the day after the body of Larry Knight was discovered and again after the miraculous news on Sunday night that Mr Knight's workmates, Todd Russell and Brant Webb, were alive, sheltering inside a cage. In the absence of any alternative voice, Mr Shorten has been the de facto spokesman for the rescue effort. In interviews with network television news and the ABC's AM and 7.30 Report, he has provided detailed reports about the drilling procedure needed to secure the miners' rescue, their health and the food, clothing and other items they have received. Flick on Sky News and the man with the latest is Bill Shorten.

What is wrong with this picture? The answer is nothing ill to do with Mr Shorten. Cynics may believe the ambitious young star of the labour movement who won preselection for the safe ALP seat of Maribyrnong in February has manoeuvred himself into the spotlight for self-promotion. They are wrong. Mr Shorten is doing Australians a service in communicating information of vital interest in a gripping human drama. The real problem is what his role says about the deafening silence from any senior representative of the web of corporations who own, run or profit from the Tamar Valley goldmine and the distance they have chosen to place between themselves and the disaster. The corporate structure propping up the mine's operations is controversial. Its foundation is a joint venture between major shareholder Allstate Explorations and Beaconsfield Gold. Allstate Explorations collapsed in 2001 and was placed in administration under Perth accountant Michael Ryan. But the company's failure has been a bonanza for those who picked up the pieces. Since it went into receivership, the mine has delivered some $40 million in profits. But while hundreds of Allstate's creditors _including a service station owned by Mr Russell's parents and many other Beaconsfield businesses – remain out of pocket, $27.5 million has flowed to Macquarie Bank. This is because a 2002 deal allowed the bank to buy Allstate's $77.4 million debt for $300,000 and gave it first call on Allstate's profits. Another $11 million has gone in fees to Mr Ryan's firm Taylor Woodings for running the company, and in payments to lawyers.

It is as extraordinary as it is disgraceful that no senior figure from any of these interests has been prepared to front up as the public face of the rescue operation. Mr Ryan avoided scrutiny yesterday when he failed to turn up to a creditors' meeting scheduled to take place in Launceston. Macquarie won't respond to The Australian's questions. And Beaconsfield Gold chief executive Bill Colvin says he can't comment on the rescue mission because "It's all being handled by the joint venture". Except it isn't. Similarly, Tasmanian Labor Premier Paul Lennon at first kept his distance, only visiting Beaconsfield on Monday. Until then, apart from a couple of brief statements, Mr Lennon seemed content for Resources Minister Bryan Green to be the Government's public face on the disaster. The Premier is scheduled to meet the West Tamar Mayor Barry Easther today to discuss Beaconsfield's long-term needs. It would be unfair to suggest Mr Lennon only made his move to visit the mining town after the news turned for the better. In the days after the rock fall he was pre-occupied with preparations for marking the 20th anniversary of the Port Arthur massacre. Whatever is the case, he has calculated poorly. It is inconceivable that political leaders of the ilk of Queensland Premier Peter Beattie or South Australian Premier Mike Rann would have acted similarly.