Nick Minchin (SA, Liberal Party, Minister for Finance and Administration) Share this | Hansard source

Yes, I have lots of reports to read at the moment. As I said, I am not sure what reference Cole makes or does not make to the role of the ONA, but I am happy to come back to Senator Faulkner with information on the question of whether or not there is any reference in the Cole report to the ONA and its role in the whole matter. I am happy to do that.

In relation to the matter as a whole, I think, as Senator Faulkner would understand, the Cole inquiry has been thoroughly exhaustive. This has been a year-long, expensive, diligent and very thorough inquiry—the most thorough inquiry conducted anywhere in the world in response to the UN’s Volcker inquiry into the finding that some 2,200 companies in some 66 countries may have been involved in breaches of the oil for food program. We are the only country in the world to have instigated a fully independent and transparent inquiry into the role of the Australian company named in the Volcker report.