Government colluded with AWB to hide bribes: ALP
Jane Williams
July 9, 2006
"NEWLY released documents showed the Government had colluded with the AWB and deliberately lied to the US Senate to hide the grain trader's kickbacks to Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein, the ALP said yesterday.
Labor's public accountability spokesman Kelvin Thomson said documents obtained by his office through Freedom of Information showed the Howard Government had assisted the AWB in dodging questions from the US Senate about $300 million in kickbacks paid by the AWB to the Iraqi government.
The US Senate was investigating corruption in the United Nation's oil-for-food program and the AWB was the biggest single supplier of humanitarian goods to Iraq through this program.
Mr Thomson said the documents showed the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) had co-drafted a crucial letter to US Senator Norm Coleman, chairman of the sub-committee investigating the UN program, and briefed AWB before and after its meeting with Australian ambassador Michael Thawley and Senator Coleman.
Documents, including emails between DFAT and Australian embassy officials, also revealed that DFAT had intended to keep the list of topics for discussion between itself and Senator Coleman's committee "very general".
"These documents show the involvement of DFAT and the involvement of the Howard Government in the cover-up," Mr Thomson told reporters in Melbourne yesterday.
"There is no doubt that the Howard Government lied to the US Senate.
"We looked the US straight in the eye and denied kickbacks were being paid.
"I think [Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade] Alexander Downer should resign.
"The AWB scandal shows that he and his department turned a blind eye to the kickbacks, with colossal damage to Australia's international trading reputation."
Mr Thomson said the ALP believed the terms of reference for the Cole inquiry into alleged bribes to Iraq were too narrow and would not allow the necessary questions to be asked to reveal the Australian Government's full involvement in the cover-up.
"The bribing of foreign officials is an offence under Australian law, so you can't say it's OK to bribe foreign officials . . . in the interests of Australia's wheat trade," Mr Thomson said.
"Furthermore we were signed up to UN sanctions and these bribes were in express breach of the UN sanctions.
"There's no doubt that in the US senate there is a very great grievance that we lied to them," he said.
Last night the Prime Minister's office said it would not comment on the ALP claims.
Source: The Sun-Herald"
What is the Canadian Law on this matter?
Jane Williams
July 9, 2006
"NEWLY released documents showed the Government had colluded with the AWB and deliberately lied to the US Senate to hide the grain trader's kickbacks to Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein, the ALP said yesterday.
Labor's public accountability spokesman Kelvin Thomson said documents obtained by his office through Freedom of Information showed the Howard Government had assisted the AWB in dodging questions from the US Senate about $300 million in kickbacks paid by the AWB to the Iraqi government.
The US Senate was investigating corruption in the United Nation's oil-for-food program and the AWB was the biggest single supplier of humanitarian goods to Iraq through this program.
Mr Thomson said the documents showed the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) had co-drafted a crucial letter to US Senator Norm Coleman, chairman of the sub-committee investigating the UN program, and briefed AWB before and after its meeting with Australian ambassador Michael Thawley and Senator Coleman.
Documents, including emails between DFAT and Australian embassy officials, also revealed that DFAT had intended to keep the list of topics for discussion between itself and Senator Coleman's committee "very general".
"These documents show the involvement of DFAT and the involvement of the Howard Government in the cover-up," Mr Thomson told reporters in Melbourne yesterday.
"There is no doubt that the Howard Government lied to the US Senate.
"We looked the US straight in the eye and denied kickbacks were being paid.
"I think [Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade] Alexander Downer should resign.
"The AWB scandal shows that he and his department turned a blind eye to the kickbacks, with colossal damage to Australia's international trading reputation."
Mr Thomson said the ALP believed the terms of reference for the Cole inquiry into alleged bribes to Iraq were too narrow and would not allow the necessary questions to be asked to reveal the Australian Government's full involvement in the cover-up.
"The bribing of foreign officials is an offence under Australian law, so you can't say it's OK to bribe foreign officials . . . in the interests of Australia's wheat trade," Mr Thomson said.
"Furthermore we were signed up to UN sanctions and these bribes were in express breach of the UN sanctions.
"There's no doubt that in the US senate there is a very great grievance that we lied to them," he said.
Last night the Prime Minister's office said it would not comment on the ALP claims.
Source: The Sun-Herald"
What is the Canadian Law on this matter?
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