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 again to the Minister for Foreign Affairs. I refer to the fact that in March 2004 Ambassador Bremer appointed an ADF officer, Colonel Michael Kelly, as legal adviser of the Coalition Provisional Authority to manage the CPA’s activities in relation to the oil for food program. I also refer to the fact that on 19 May 2004 Colonel Kelly sent an email to our deputy ambassador in Iraq saying:

Looks like the jig is up on AWB and the OFF scandal.

I refer further to this statement by Colonel Kelly to the Cole inquiry, just released by the inquiry, that in July 2004 he also told the Iraq Task Force in Canberra:

… AWB were “up to their eyeballs” in the illicit payments …

Given that a senior ADF officer working for the CPA had warned the government about AWB in May and July 2004, on what basis did the minister then instruct Australia’s ambassador in Washington to make representations to the US Senate three months later unequivocally dismissing allegations against the AWB?

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

First of all, there are other statements that were released on Friday as well.

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

Why don’t you come back to this one?

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

I would refer the honourable member to Colonel Kelly’s statement indeed and to other statements in relation to Colonel Kelly’s statement that were issued, and I urge him to sit and try to reconcile them all. Actually, that is the job of Commissioner Cole. As I have often said, the member for Griffith will not be happy with the Cole commission until he himself takes over from Commissioner Cole as its head.

In relation to instructions to Michael Thawley, from my recollection—I think the Minister for Trade would share my recollection—we thought Australian companies, including AWB Ltd, should be dealt with fairly and according to due process. That is my recollection. No matter how hard the opposition tries to beat this up, it has to face up to the fact that the government have set up an independent inquiry to examine the issue, and we look forward to it producing its report.

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

Mr Speaker, I ask that further questions be placed on the Notice Paper.