Warren Truss (Wide Bay, National Party, Minister for Transport and Regional Services) Share this | Hansard source

This is a ridiculous and preposterous proposition that the Leader of the Opposition is proposing. A number of issues of concern were raised by the WEA with the AWB and the AWB provided answers. The WEA asked why the prices were higher for transport in Iraq than had been the case in, say, western New South Wales. It is not very surprising that the cost would be higher for transport in a war torn country. As indicated in the answer that Mr Besley has provided, the reality is that it was part of the contract that they had to deliver this wheat from the port, upcountry, and they did not get paid until it was actually delivered to the customer. So this land transport element was a key part of the delivery of the contract.

The Leader of the Opposition has indicated that the government has not tabled in parliament the WEA confidential report to the minister. There is a very good reason for that: the legislation specifically precludes it. The legislation protects the confidentiality of this report.

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