Andrew Mackenzie
Management
Okay. Well welcome everybody to our 2015 interim results. I’m speaking in Melbourne at our global head office, and Peter Beaven, our new Chief Financial Officer, is joining us from London. Other members of our Group management committee are also here. But first let me point you to the disclaimer, and remind you of its importance. Our company is in great shape, underpinned by our unchanged strategy. We have the best quality assets and operating capability, a strong balance sheet, a deep understanding of the global market, and a portfolio of very high return growth projects, as well as a track record of outstanding cash returns to shareholders. This offering is unique in our sector. There is no better validation of the effectiveness of our strategy than the robust results we have delivered in the face of substantial volatility in commodity prices. Over the last six months we have further improved productivity, increased free cash flow, strengthened our balance sheet, and comfortably covered our progressive dividend commitment. In fact we started to prepare for a sustained period of lower prices almost three years ago, by increasing our focus on efficiency and lowering our investment. And since then our structured approach to productivity has delivered annualized gains of almost $10 billion, and we’ve reduced capital spending by almost 40% while preserving long term value. This push for productivity will continue, and with future gains harder to win, structural change will be a catalyst for further progress. Our proposed demerger will cut complexity and its associated cost in a single step, with no loss of the benefits of skill and diversity. It will prepare us better to react quickly and take advantage of ever increasing volatility. I’m deeply committed to increasing shareholder returns. So we do not plan to rebase our progressive…