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 addressed to the Deputy Prime Minister. I refer to the letter I received from the Prime Minister yesterday just before question time confirming that former National Party candidate Trevor Flugge had access to other Australian government money to support his activities in Iraq apart from the $1 million package paid to him through the aid budget. Deputy Prime Minister, how much other money did Mr Flugge have access to? Given that DFAT indicated that the 2003-04 AusAID budget allocated $4 million to revitalising the agricultural sector and quick impact activities, can the minister outline to parliament how much of this $4 million was at the discretion of his National Party mate Mr Flugge?

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

This was the answer I gave to the member for Griffith. He asked me this question and this is the answer I gave. I ask every member of the House to listen very carefully. The question was: did he have access to any other Australian government money to support his activities in Iraq? Answer: yes.

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

Mr Rudd interjecting

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

Order! The member for Griffith is warned!

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

Yes. Mr Flugge and other members of the Australian agricultural team had oversight of funds for reconstruction of the Iraqi ministry for agriculture and Iraqi Grains Board building and the purchase of communications equipment. All these funds have been duly acquitted. In other words, this is a slur against my colleague the Leader of the National Party.

Opposition Members:

Opposition members interjecting—

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

What? He got hold of this money for the National Party? He did not use it for the National Party; it was used for the benefit of the people of Iraq. The member for Griffith is so bereft of relevant questions that he has now resorted to dishonest slurs on the integrity of the Leader of the National Party.