Peter McGauran (Gippsland, National Party, Deputy Leader of the House) Share this | Hansard source

It will be something of a surprise to some members, because the member for Corio might be guilty, at least in this debate, of exaggeration and distortion but not of deliberate misleading. The WEA assessments also included incentives contained in a service agreement between AWBI and AWBL. The results of these examinations have been reported in the WEA’s annual growers reports which are publicly available.

A short time ago I said that the member for Corio had two problems: firstly, this is old news and, secondly, he has failed to substantiate his allegations. The WEA, pursuant to their legislative responsibilities under the Wheat Marketing Act, took it upon themselves to respond to press reports, not hard evidence—as far as I am aware, no evidence of any kind was supplied to them—to examine the AWB’s books. They did so over a period of time. The question of whether or not they received the degree of cooperation that would have allowed them to make a thorough and accurate assessment is best left to the Cole inquiry to rule on if that is their wont. But we do know that within certain confines the WEA made an earnest effort. The Chairman of the WEA has advised a Senate estimates committee that there was nothing untoward. He has been publicly quoted today as saying that in reporting on the investigation to the then Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry in October 2004 he gave it a clean bill of health.

In hindsight, we would all wish that certain factors had come to light through the course of or as a result of that inquiry. It was not to be. Again, the Cole inquiry has all the material surrounding this particular matter. Any other aspect of the WEA or any other section or area of government it requires information from will be provided and has been provided. And the terms of reference are satisfactory. It is pursuing all these issues with the thoroughness and forensic skill we would all wish it to have so that we can get to the truth of the matter and so that the grain growers and the grains industry can return to a degree of certainty and surety they are sadly lacking at present.

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