QUESTIONS IN WRITING
Oil for Food Program
(Question No. 5894)
Question

Mr McClelland (Barton)  asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs, in writing, on 31 May 2007:

(1)
Can he confirm that on or about 30 March 2004, he made a note on a ministerial submission from Ms Armstrong regarding sales of produce by the Australian Wheat Board (AWB) to Iraq, which read: “This worries me, how were AWB prices set and who set them? I want to know about this”.
(2)
Was any action taken in response to his request; if not, has he held any officer, or officers, accountable for failing to act in accordance with his request and if not, why not.
Answer

Mr Downer (Mayo—Minister for Foreign Affairs)—The answer to the honourable member’s question is as follows:

(1)
and (2) In my statement to the Cole Inquiry (exhibit DFT.0028.0010) I stated:

“Thereafter, I received a letter from the Managing Director of AWB, Mr Lindberg, dated 10 June 2004 which, amongst other matters, purported to address the prices set for Australian Wheat in contracts under the OFF Program, and mentioned what he called ‘the preferred trucking supplier’ nominated by the Iraqi Grains Board. I understood this to be the advice from AWB that was referred to in paragraph 4 of the 30 March 2004 Ministerial Submission”.

I suggest the honourable member read the Cole report.