The Labor Party’s failed leadership coup last month overshadowed most of the Australian political scene.
And in case punters were unsure what the contest meant for the mining industry, the Liberal leaders of WA and QLD were quick to spell it out.
“It has been embarrassing for Australia for a long time and I might say that the point has been made to me by political leaders around Asia,” WA premier Colin Barnett said after the challenge.
Joining Barnett at the firing line was QLD premier Campbell Newman, who claimed constant leadership speculation within the ALP failed to provide a “clear direction” for the nation.
But outside what had clearly become political point scoring for conservative premiers, the mining industry did register a significant change following the turmoil.
Prominent Rudd-backer and resources minister Martin Ferguson resigned from his post after the contest, and in his place former Woodside executive, Gary Gray, took charge of the nation’s industry.
Ferguson was an experienced and well-respected minister, considering the unpopularity of Labor, and Gray’s appointment already has pundits wondering what he’ll bring to the new role.
While he was quick to claim it would be “business as usual” for the industry, Gray has already underlined a key focus point for his time in Government, and he’s not shied away from the big issues.
Unwilling to make changes to the mining tax Gray has instead signalled a softening line on foreign labour, conceding such workers are “vital” to the industry.
The concession does not represent a break in policy for the ALP, but it does underline a more nuanced approach to the issue, which has become a new flashpoint for Federal Labor.
The rhetoric over foreign workers has changed track several times over the last 12 months, and Gray may want to stamp his mark on the debate to stop it changing further.
In a sign of uncertainty around how best to regulate foreign workers Labor has on one hand helped draw up the Enterprise Migration Agreement policy and on the other signalled reforms to the 457 system.
The 457 reforms come as miners ratchet down their demands for overseas labour, and it shows some inconsistency in the way the ALP has dealt with the issue.
Gray’s conciliatory approach will no doubt be welcomed from the industry, which has called for a cautious debate over 457 reform.
It will also signal steadying management on an issue that has lacked clarity over the last few months, particularly from the Federal Government.
But with an election only six months away the influence Gray will have on the industry is unlikely to be groundbreaking, considering the chances of Labor’s re-election.
In such a climate Gray has essentially been rendered ‘night watchman’ for the nation’s mining sector, and while anything can happen in the world of politics, it’s unlikely he’ll drive major reforms in the lead up to September.
His legacy may well be that of Ferguson’s, and one the industry will be glad to see the end of.