The time references in the article come from two paragraphs. 1)...

The time references in the article come from two paragraphs.

1) "The decision on Ravenswood comes at a time when the Australian dollar gold price is trading near its highest level on record..."

The breakout in the A$ gold price hadn't really started on the 17 Dec 2018. The gold price closed at about $1,735 on that date and that level wasn't a new 12 month high. The $A price of gold had peaked above $1,735 over half a dozen times in the previous 12 months so no justification for the comment above if the information was relayed to him on 17 Dec 2018.

Paul Garvey does suggest that "the decision" comes at a time when the $A gold price is trading near its highest level on record, so if the Q and A happened on 17 Dec 2018 as suggested, this to me seems misleading. What's more the response announcement by the company doesn't refer to a decision having been made other than expecting to undertake a strategic review in the first half of 2019 (see quote from company response below).

"Resolute has not made any decision in relation to the spin-off or sale of its Ravenswood Gold Mine in Queensland. Resolute expects to undertake a strategic review of Ravenswood in the first half of 2019."

The second time reference in the article is

2) "Resolute chief executive John Welborn told The Australian the company was set to make a decision on the future of Ravenswood in the first half of this year."

This statement seems reasonably consistent with the company's response but we aren't told when the Australian was told.

Maybe you should ask JW when the company first decided to review its plans for Ravenswood and also if he was forewarned of today's publication of the article or was privy or had any vetos as to its contents before publication.

If he had no idea it was being published today it seems like a bit of an ambush by the Australian. If he granted journalists the opportunity for questions and answers in Dec and fed them this information and knew the article would be published today then the article is being used as a tool of the company IMO and some people have been privy to price sensitive information for a while now.

Not sure which it really is based on your account of things.Esh