THE CONFERENCE CALLER: The media room at Diggers and Dealers crackled with anticipation on the opening morning as word filtered out the Federal Opposition Leader Peter Dutton would be dropping in for a look.
Gathered media were informed that, yes, Mr Dutton would be doing a press conference, the time for said meeting being negotiated.
Dutton was relegated to second in the important media meet and greet stakes with conference keynote speaker, former Federal Opposition Leader Kim Beazley joining the fourth estate in the designated media room.
It is always a difficult dance for the Resources media when a VIP shows up. On one hand said VIP needs to be feted by the media, feeling that being the VIP they should be of interest when, really, they need to be interviewed by the pack to provide relevance to their attendance.
Diggers and Dealers has always promoted itself as a politics-free zone, but every now and then somebody sneaks in to divert attention from the main game.
The conference media, especially at this event, are primarily there to record the industry goings on and interviewing company speakers as they come off stage is an important aspect to the occasion.
Imagine, however, the reception a journo would receive from their editor on getting back to the office after the conference saying they’d missed a doorstop with the Opposition Leader because of an arranged meeting with Northern Star Resources.
Negotiations continued with Dutton’s minders, who for some reason known only to them, weren’t prepared to meet journos on their home ground i.e. the media room, which would mean journalists could continue their conference coverage whilst waiting for him to appear.
Instead, it was deemed the doorstop, and its main drawcard, were too important for that venue, although it was good enough for Mr Beazley who was currently responding to questions.
So, where were we to meet Mr Dutton? One location suggested by his team was in front of a large underground mining vehicle parked up in front of the conference entrance.
Apparently, even though the big truck would have reflected Dutton’s machismo, he thought it was too cold outside.
The media room was still available, and those there waiting had nowhere else to be.
At last, a venue and time were decided upon. A small two square metre class cube that serves as entry to the Goldfields Arts Centre where the conference is held.
The compliant media scrum gathered cheek by jowl waiting for the main act to arrive, who in true prima donna fashion kept us waiting beyond the agreed time.
In its weekend edition leading up to the conference, The West Australian had dedicated several dead trees to Mr Dutton’s Western Australia charm offensive, reporting how the Opposition Leader was visiting to show off his soft underbelly to Sandgropers.
He was photographed in these pages smiling at those he encountered, assuaging any doubts we who live beyond the rabbit proof fence may have about him.
Unfortunately, that charm and ability to smile had evaporated by the time he faced the Diggers media with him not once during the doorstop expressing a smirk let alone a smile.
If he had been able to sit in on Mr Beazeley’s presser, he could have witnessed firsthand how far a friendly ebullient manner goes.
Whatever question was asked of Mr Dutton his response managed to allocate blame on the PM Mr Albanese for the negative aspect of the subjects raised.
No problem with that, after all that is part of his job description. Just as well nobody asked what he had for breakfast as no doubt Albo would have copped a spray about stodgy hollandaise and hard poached eggs benedict.
The entire experience left this scribe a touch perplexed. On one hand Mr Dutton is wanting to let us all know that he has an aspect of niceness about him while on the other he treats a troupe of media folk who are simply trying to do a job – and in essence him a favour by reporting on what he may have to say – with disdain, dislike, and disrespect.
This all leaves people not knowing the real him, and one thing we do know is that his past campaigning efforts speak volumes about how he feels the electorate should vote when they don’t know.
