Ann: Dividend Details, page-4

You're not the only cynic wondering about the timing of dividends, Buggalugs, however this Special Dividend has such a large affect on the market caps of Rand and Tribune that (a) the Board must have been contemplating/planning for such an eventuality for some time; and (b) the ASX should be asking them to clarify the Companies' financial positions after the bullion sales and divis.
I don't think it right that the markets in these companies continue without knowing what their inventories are, and therefore their final financial position. How can you trade these companies if you don't know how much bullion each company sold?
And, you can forget the pending Annual Reports - they're already out-of-date.