John Howard (Bennelong, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Hansard source

Brendan Stewart is the executive chairman of AWB Ltd. No adverse findings have been made against him by Commissioner Cole. The commission goes on. AWB Ltd is the holder of the wheat pool. If we are to have a satisfactory outcome for the wheat growers of Australia and not some kind of political hit scored by one side or the other in this parliament, if we are really interested in selling wheat to Iraq, we really do need to have the company that owns the wheat involved in some way. It is in fact quite hard to sell wheat that you do not have.

Perhaps the Leader of the Opposition could sit down and think about that. Here he is, saying: ‘Get the wheat into Iraq. Find our market. Save our farmers.’ In order to do that, you have to at least deal—at a minimum—on a commercial basis with the holder of the wheat. Doesn’t the Leader of the Opposition understand the way in which AWB Ltd is involved? It has acquired the wheat from the wheat growers. Why doesn’t he talk to the member for Hotham? He would tell him. Why doesn’t he talk to Gavvy over there? He would tell him. They know something about primary industry in Australia. The Leader of the Opposition, in order to try and score a political point, is completely losing track of how all this works.

We have an inquiry. Let it get on with its job. In the meantime, let the Deputy Prime Minister lead a delegation to Iraq on behalf of Australian wheat growers.

See this speech in context