What Is Ned Kelly's Environmental Campaign Against The Mining Industry?

In this essay, I will critically evaluate the article by Hugh Morgan entitled ‘Ned Kelly and Sergeant Kennedy and the Significance of the Murders at Stringy Bark Creek, Quadrant, 28 (December, 1984). The events that occurred at Stringy Bark Creek are very significant as it has several profound impact on the local society at that time.
The text seems to associate what Morgan does as a respectable figure in the business world with the activities of Ned Kelly. The author does this by referencing a source or stating a point and then bringing in the subject of Ned Kelly. The specific topic of this text is to promote Morgan’s environmental campaign against the mining industry by relating it to Ned Kelly’s experience. Morgan was the executive director of a Western Mining Corporation before he retired. While Morgan was writing this article, Roxy Downs Mine was in the process of being established to carry out uranium mining in South Australia. Morgan used this article to strongly express his dislike of this uranium mining project. Hence,
Morgan uses Ned Kelly as a reference of what society is capable of when they feel they have been treated unfairly.
The text was written in 1984, at about the same time as the Roxy Downs Mine was being opened.
This resulted in many protests (particularly from environmentalists). Furthermore, Bob Hawke became the new opposition leader for the Australian Labour Party (previously, it was Jon Howard). Bob Hawke was a much stronger advocate of the environment and supported environmental issues such as climate change. As we are made aware in the text, Morgan has been labelled as someone who is skeptic of climate change. As the reader progresses through the text, the reader gets the impressesion that Morgan is implying and believes that Ned Kelly was a criminal rather than a hero. He also implies that citizens will not act against mining companies because it is not stated in the law. Morgan feel that the public does not have much power against big corporate giants. Morgan also assumes as a law abiding citizens citizens will only do what is legal and
just.
Morgan uses a variety of materials to present his work. He uses letters as a secondary source to strengthen his text. Furthermore, Morgan uses several quotes and relies on personal observation to explain them. For example, the last words of the Ned Kelly were, “well, I suppose it has come to this”. To this Morgan replies, “these are not the words of one who has been liberated, made free, because of his repudiation to society.” Morgan refers to many sources although not all the sources seem to underpin his argument. Some of the sources felt out of context such as the Mansfield Guardian Article, November 2, 1878(1) and also the comments made by Robert Hughes in his Art of Australia (2) on a society that is formed by their religious faith which is then linked to the environmental movement.
I personally felt that the author could have argued different facts with the same sources. It seemed extremely conflicting especially in the case of Roxby Downs Blockade Handbook August 1984 (3) where he talks on the destruction of property. When Morgan assumes that we are all against Ned Kelly, he precedes the argument with only that point of view instead of looking at the different sources and making a reasonable argument. Different conclusions could have been reached provided that the text was balanced and reasonable when discussing the different sources; however, it was not. I felt that the text in the article was hard to read, due to the structure of the essay. There was no flow throughout the essay and it was just paragraphs thrown around in no particular order.
I thought that the arguments could be justified from the following viewpoints. Firstly, let’s examine Sergeant Kennedy’s viewpoints. It is fair to assume that he joined the police force due to his sense of justice. It is his profession and by follows a certain thought of thinking that he perceives Ned Kelly as a traitor. Sergeant Kennedy acknowledged that others see Ned Kelly as a hero, but for him, his crimes, despite what others may feel his intent was, were still crimes. As such, we cannot condone behaviour which is against the accepted standards of the community, nor can we make a hero of one who would kill and rob to achieve his ends. Secondly, Ned Kelly can be seen as the man forced to take drastic action for what he believes to be right. The focus in this sense would be on the outcome, i.e., whilst the actions were criminal in nature, the end justifies the means.
Overall, I felt that Morgan had a very biased view towards Ned Kelly and felt that he appealed to society members and they romanticised about him but this does not mean what he did was right. Morgan also gives the impression that a society which is free and does not approve of something will find a just and legal way of rejecting or refusing a government based decision, especially one that affects tge people’environment. This conclusion comes into my mind when critically evaluating the article by Hugh Morgan entitled ‘Ned Kelly and Sergeant Kennedy and the Significance of the Murders at Stringy Bark Creek, Quadrant, 28 (December 1984).

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