Australia is a country that likes to append hero status to it's villains. Ned Kelly achieved such immortality when he was executed by hanging in Melbourne prison on November 11, 1880 and his last words - " Such is life " - became part of the Australian lexicon.
A man who regularly became the main news story on the front pages of Australian newspapers was Alan Bond. He came to this country as a small boy when his parents migrated from England and ended his schooling as a high school dropout ! He established a business in Perth as a successful signwriter - and made the momentous move into land development - and from this there was no turning back. The names "Bond Corporation ""and "Bell Resources " headed most stock market reports.
Alan Bond became arguably one of the richest men in Australia. His moves on the stock market were legendary. He established a brewery empire and at one stage bought the Channel Nine television empire from Kerry Packer for a record $1.05 Million dollars, only to sell it back three years later for a mere $ 250,000.
"Bondy "" - as he was known - became interested in the Americas cup, a sailing event that the United States had held continuously for one hundred and thirty two years against the best efforts of world countries. He bankrolled Australian challenges in 1974, 1977, 1980 and the culmination in 1983 when a yacht with a fabled "winged keel " crossed the line first - and sent this country into days of celebration. Alan Bond became a national sporting hero.
Trading on the stock exchange and financing giant corporations is a high wire act and the risks are gigantic. An economic downturn shifted the balance and the Bond empire came crashing down, ending when Bond was declared bankrupt in 1992 with debts of $ 1.8 billion. Court appearances followed and Bond was found guilty of financial impropriety and sentenced to several years in a West Australian prison. Even here, he quickly became the "King of the Cons " - and served his sentence in relative comfort.
Finally free, his private life continued to interest the media. He was divorced from Eileen and married Diana Bliss, and the ever enthusiastic entrepreneur amassed a new fortune. His previous sins were forgiven by many, but the crash of Bond Corporation left some families destitute and many others despised him and treated his name with bitter contempt.
The media never lost interest in Alan Bond as he gradually retired from public life. Diana Bliss suffered from depression and ended her life in the mansion she shared with her husband, sending Bond further into isolation. He finally returned to this country in dire need of heart surgery, and unfortunately there were complications and he lapsed into a coma, from which he never recovered.
And so the Bond legend ended - with admiration from some and bitter feelings from others. Bond was a mix of genius - and crook ! But unlike some other fallen financiers of that time, he fronted court and accounted for his sins - and served time as a consequence. Many who had lost money from the fall of his companies were quoted as saying that "if they bumped into Bondy in a pub, they would probably buy him a beer "!
Such was the charisma of this remarkable man !
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