Summary
Presented by comedian Charles Firth, this video shows a street barbeque outside the head office of BHP Billiton in Melbourne, where three miners’ wives from central Queensland attempt to present a giant airline boarding pass to CEO Marius Kloppers, inviting him to visit their community to see for himself the lack of infrastructure and services available. This is a response to Kloppers’ self-proclaimed policy of community engagement with mining communities. After entering the foyer to present the boarding pass, the women are told that Kloppers is unavailable, which is further confirmed by an underling outside the building. The protest attracted national TV and print media coverage.
Special Notes/Achievements
Manic Studios was established for the trade union movement with the goal of producing satirical films and videos for union campaigns. Charles Firth, an Australian comedian and member of the famed The Chaser satirical comedy show, was the company’s creative director.
Author: J Bird, 2023