Kerry O'Brien (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Transport) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to Senator Minchin, representing the Prime Minister. Is the minister aware that the recent comments by the member for O’Connor that ‘the dogs have been barking’, about corruption in AWB for years, mirror comments from the well known Victorian grain trader, Mr Ray Brooks? Isn’t the member for O’Connor right when he says that the government was guilty of trusting a mob of agri-politicians with close ties to the National Party? Didn’t Mr Brooks confront the then agriculture minister, Mr Warren Truss, in 2002 with concerns about AWB only to be told by the minister: ‘Don’t give me that bull’—and I will not repeat the last word? Aren’t both the member for O’Connor and Mr Brooks right when they say the National Party ministers were quick to dismiss concerns about the actions of their mates in AWB because they put personal interests ahead of their responsibility as ministers?

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

No, they are absolutely wrong. As reported by the Cole commission of inquiry, they are completely wrong. The Cole commission of inquiry has found that there is nothing to indict the behaviour of the Prime Minister, the foreign minister, the Minister for Trade and the Deputy Prime Minister. It is the Labor Party that has got egg all over its face on the matter of the Cole commission of inquiry, running around the country and slandering ministers of this government without foundation at all, and has been found to be out of line by the Cole commission of inquiry.

As far as Mr Brooks and Mr Tuckey go, they are also wrong to the extent they suggest there has been any improper behaviour on the part of National Party ministers. They are both wrong. I reject completely out of hand any insinuations made by the member for O’Connor against members of the National Party. They have acted honourably in every respect, as found by the Cole commission of inquiry. I stand by my National Party colleagues in the cabinet and the ministry.

Kerry O'Brien (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Transport) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. Of course those ministers have been found guilty of incompetence in the court of public opinion. But does the minister agree with Senator Joyce—

Robert Ray (Victoria, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Robert Ray interjecting—

Ian Campbell (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for the Environment and Heritage) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Say that outside!

Paul Calvert (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! Senator Ray and Senator Ian Campbell, Senator O’Brien has the call.

Kerry O'Brien (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Transport) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Does the minister agree with Senator Joyce, who has defended the bribes paid to Saddam Hussein as a legitimate way of doing business in the Middle East and who defends the continuation of the single desk? Or does the minister agree with the member for O’Connor that the National Party are guilty of condoning corruption and are now ‘running around, trying to see what form of corrupt community we could put together’ for any future role for the AWB and the single desk?

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

For the Labor Party to have the audacity to come in here and seek to play out differences that may appear in the coalition is incredible given that these people are all trying to knock off their own leader. They are undergoing the most extraordinary annual event: let’s play the game of undermining the leader. Here we have Mr Beazley deflating before us while Mr Rudd and his supporters continue to seek to destroy their own leader.

Honourable Senators:

Honourable senators interjecting—

Paul Calvert (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! Senators on both sides of the chamber will come to order.

Kerry O'Brien (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Transport) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I rise on a point of order. The question was about the machinations within the government; it had nothing to do with the Labor Party. I know that the minister is seeking to not answer the question, but the question was about Senator Joyce and the member for O’Connor’s comments, and nothing to do with the Labor Party. He should address the question and you should draw his attention to it.

Paul Calvert (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The minister has 37 seconds to complete his supplementary answer.

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

We are all much more interested in the machinations inside the Labor Party than anything else and, no doubt, you would be doing your best to cover them up. The government, of course, does not defend bribery in any respect. That is why we set up the Cole commission. We are the only government in the world to set up a fully-fledged, independent inquiry as a result of the Volcker report. There are 2,200 companies involved. We are the only country that set up a commission of inquiry to examine it. AWB have been found out by the commission and prosecutions will no doubt ensue. No-one defends bribery and no-one in this government defends bribery.