Alexander Downer (Mayo, Liberal Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Hansard source

The member for Hotham interjects. Apparently, in an interview on a television program—the 7.30 Report last week or the week before last, from recollection—Mr Ingruber, who was a staffer for the member for Hotham when he was the Leader of the Opposition, said that he had met with AWB Ltd in 2002 and had some discussions—I am not sure—about this issue and about Iraq. We would like to know about that. We would like to know what questions the opposition asked. At one stage the member for Griffith said in the media that he had had only one meeting with AWB Ltd. The next day he said, ‘Actually, I had several meetings.’ We would like to know what happened at those meetings. Did the opposition ask questions about the oil for food program? Mr Cole said that members of parliament should provide all information to the commission of inquiry. We know from the commission of inquiry that the office of the member for Griffith had material. We also know that it has not provided that material to the Cole inquiry. So I do not think that the opposition comes to this issue with clean hands. How preposterous would it be for me to accuse the opposition of being involved in a cover-up? (Time expired)

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