Kevin Rudd (Griffith, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade and International Security) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade. I refer to the minister’s inability to answer the last two questions I asked him today and the questions I asked him yesterday. Minister, given that it is two years since the Volcker inquiry was established, given that you have had dozens of DFAT officials poring over all DFAT files over that period of time and given that the Cole inquiry has now been established for three months, how can you possibly come into question time today as Deputy Prime Minister of Australia and claim to be unprepared to answer these basic questions concerning your role in this $300 million wheat for weapons scandal?

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

Yesterday I answered very clearly about DFAT’s knowledge of the AWB-Tigris deal. I answered that very clearly yesterday, I added to an answer last night and the member for Griffith has just identified the fact here that the Cole inquiry is inquiring into this and getting to the depth of all these facts, particularly with regard to the extension of the terms of reference that Commissioner Cole has sought on this matter.

Kevin Rudd (Griffith, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade and International Security) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, I rise on a point of order as to relevance. The question was: how can he be unprepared to come in and answer—

David Hawker (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member will resume his seat.