Senate debates
Wednesday, 8 February 2006
Questions without Notice
Australian Wheat Board
2:08 pm
Kerry O'Brien (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Transport) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
My question is to Senator Abetz, representing the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry. Can the minister confirm that the Wheat Export Authority is responsible, under the Wheat Marketing Act 1989, for monitoring, examining and reporting on the performance of AWB Ltd and the benefits to growers? In carrying out this responsibility, doesn’t the Wheat Export Authority examine contracts entered into by AWB and analyse, assess and report on AWB’s pricing performance and supply chain arrangements? Can the minister explain why the Wheat Export Authority knew nothing of the $300 million paid by AWB to Saddam Hussein under the UN’s oil for food program through the contracts it examined? Can the minister also advise how it is possible that the Wheat Export Authority knew nothing of the massive increase in transport costs covered by these contracts?
Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Fisheries, Forestry and Conservation) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
I could wax lyrical if I wanted to about these issues but, as the honourable senator knows, there is a royal commission being undertaken at this very moment to consider those issues that the honourable senator has raised. It would be highly inappropriate for me to seek to comment as to what the WEA actually knew about the situation.
George Campbell
Paul Calvert (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
Order! Senator Campbell, would you withdraw that improper remark.
Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Fisheries, Forestry and Conservation) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
Given that there is a royal commission under way, it would be highly inappropriate to canvass the issues raised by the senator, asking what was or was not necessarily known. I represent the minister for agriculture in this place. It is not within my specific portfolio. Whilst we have a royal commission under way, I think that that is the best approach.
Having said that, I did note in the question the comment about funding to Saddam Hussein. I now note that Kevin Rudd, the shadow minister for foreign affairs, is asserting that some of that money may have been used to fund international terrorism and suicide bombers. That is a very important step for the Australian Labor Party to have taken, because previously they were in denial that Saddam Hussein was the sponsor of international terrorism and funding the families of suicide bombers. I used to think it was $25,000 per hit—and what a terrible term to use in that context—but, interestingly enough, the figure that Mr Rudd now uses is in fact higher: $33,000. Have no doubt, if the Labor policy were to be adopted, Saddam Hussein would still be in power, funding international terrorism and suicide bombers. We on this side of the chamber make no apology for our stance in ridding the world of this dictator and sponsor of international terrorism.
Chris Evans (WA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
You have no moral authority now.
Paul Calvert (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
Senator Evans, your colleague has the call and shouting across the chamber is disorderly.
Kerry O'Brien (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Transport) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
I ask a supplementary question, Mr President. Is the minister saying he does not have a brief on the Wheat Export Authority and the AWB from Mr McGauran? Does the minister expect grain growers, who fund the Wheat Export Authority—it is they who fund it—and stand to suffer as a result of the kickback scandal, to believe that the Wheat Export Authority did not notice any irregularities? Has the authority been asked to explain why it failed to detect AWB was receiving an unusually high price for Australian wheat sold to Iraq and the use of the fictitious transport company Alia—and Mr McGauran, and Mr Truss before him, received a full annual report from the Wheat Export Authority—or is this actually just another case of a series of negligent ministers not doing their jobs properly?
Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Fisheries, Forestry and Conservation) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
Senator O’Brien can pretend to be Inspector Clouseau but, as far as we are concerned, the best way to get to the bottom of this is to allow Royal Commissioner Cole to do his job. I remind those opposite that Royal Commissioner Cole did a fantastic job in getting to the bottom of the corruption in the building industry, and I have no doubt that he will do a thorough job on this as well. When we have his findings, I think it will be appropriate then to consider those findings and see what actions ought to be taken.