BHP (and the banks) are learning a technology lesson, the hard way

Drawing a connection between an iron ore train being deliberately run off its rails and a bank with a technology problem might not seem logical, but there is a connection and it can be found in what’s missing; people.

In BHP’s case there is not yet an official explanation as to what happened, though the company’s chief executive, Andrew Mackenzie, hinted at the company’s annual meeting in Adelaide that he had a pretty good idea what had caused the spectacular pile-up.

In the case of the banks the disaster has been aired in all its grimy glory at the recently concluded Royal Commission into Australia’s financial sector where truly awful …