Scramble for Resources

 

ABC Radio National's Late Night Live looks at mining company behaviour on Bougainville, as everyone jostles to benefit from the rich seams of copper and gold. Click here and wait for the second segment of the show where Phillip Adams discusses Kevin Rudd's report "Scrambles for Resources".

This report outlines how the Autonomous Region of Bougainville has become the target of a scramble for resources. The region, which is pursuing independence from Papua New Guinea, has attracted mining and minerals exploration companies from around the world, drawn by its valuable copper and gold reserves. Over a two-year investigation, Jubilee Australia tracked the companies vying for the right to mine on the island, ranging from one-person outfits to global operations backed by major investors.

To read the full report, click on "Scramble for Resources"

 

Tony Bailey is alive and well and living in Traralgon in Victoria

 

If you've ever done a tour of the portraits of past Australian prime ministers in Parliament House, you would've searched in vain for this portrait of Tony Bailey who was simply too nice a guy to have got his hands dirty in politics. Instead, he was one of Bechtel's timekeepers at Loloho Port who also drove the bus from Kobuan as well as collecting and handing out our much-longed-for mail from home.

Des Hudson, who usually has no opinion about anything or anyone, not even himself, wrote, "I remember Tony well as he was the first person we all met after landing at the airport. Everyone was eager to know what and where and when about all that Tony would tell us and his handling of the mail made him a special person to befriend."

I had found his Incoming Passenger Card from 1972 after he had left Bougainville and returned to Australia, and wanted to know what made him go for the unlikely career choice of accountant as shown on the card under "Usual Occupation". I mean, being a lion tamer, even a timekeeper, would've been so much more exciting!

I eventually tracked him down here, and while his name is not uncommon and half a century had passed since I last had seen him, that little moustache and those piercing eyes were a dead give-away.

Tony Bailey as he is now in Traralgon, Victoria

Tony Bailey (in background) as he was then in 1972 at Loloho, Bougainville

 

His reply was prompt, "Your long shot is spot on target - yep! That’s me… and I’m still going strong, living in Traralgon. I’m still working full time, despite the fact that I turn 74 in a few short weeks, I have a great job and intend to work for another 2 years at least. You are the only person to contact me from those days - I fondly remember my time on Bougainville as the best days of my life."

As for his "Usual Occupation", he replied, "That’s not my writing - I was a timekeeper!" And so you were, Tony, although you also did a really great job reconciling all those Brambles-Kennelly trip dockets.

And, instead of taking up lion-taming, he tells me, "After I left Bougainville I bummed around Australia for about ten years, had a handful of jobs mostly in the plywood, particleboard and timber industry where I became something of an expert in quality control. In 1982 I moved to Traralgon", which is where he still lives today and from where he wrote me his emails.

Welcome to the Bougainville Copper Project blog, Tony, and don't we all agree with your heartfelt words, "I fondly remember my time on Bougainville as the best days of my life." We just didn't know it then!

 

Who remembers Gary Rigney?

Gary Rigney is next to the chap in the blue top

 

It started off with an email from Gary's daughter, Wendy:

"Hi Mr Goerman, My dad, Gary Rigney, used to work for Camp Catering Service and later for SHRM, and Mr Nightingale would come around our place some nights to talk about work with dad and sometimes another gentleman would accompany Mr Nightingale and his name was Mr Robinson. Mr Robinson was a big man and l think his nationality was German (not sure) but I'm also not sure if he worked at CCS or they were just friends, I also can’t recall his first name, but the reason I'm emailing you is because l have been trying to find his daughter Kim for years but to no avail! If you remember a Mr Robinson or could find a employment list of around 1970 to 1974 just to find where they lived prior to coming to Bougainville I would appreciate your time in helping me."

Of course, I remember Gary Rigney: as Maintenance Supervisor he was part of Camp Catering Services' management team - for whom I was office manager and accountant in 1972; click here - that met once a week in Merv Nightingale's office to keep the wheels from falling off what was then the world's biggest catering contract.

Unfortunately, Wendy also has some bad news: "My dad passed of lung cancer in 1989; he was only 50 yrs old. l miss him so much."

Anyone who knew Gary and wants to contact his daughter Wendy through me, please email me at riverbendnelligen[AT]mail.com.