Kim Beazley (Brand, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade. Did the Deputy Prime Minister instruct Ambassador Thawley as to the content of his conversation with US Senator Coleman? If the Deputy Prime Minister did not provide Ambassador Thawley with his instructions, who did?

Mark Vaile (Lyne, National Party, Minister for Trade) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Firstly, I point out that the US senator that the Leader of the Opposition referred to has recanted to an extent from his position. I instance a news report that says: ‘US critic changes his tune’. The article went on to say:

A previously critical US politician has praised Australia for leading an aggressive probe into alleged kickbacks by Australia’s monopoly wheat exporter ...

They have recognised the fact that our government has moved quickly to establish a commission of inquiry with wide-ranging powers to investigate this issue.