AWB and the Government
Dragged kicking and screaming into the whole AWB fiasco, Howard has gone on the offensive to deny that the Government ever knew about the kickbacks.
The evidence suggests that several concers where raised by the American Government (or Wheat Lobby...) about some of the transactions. The UN also spoke the government about that. There were also close communiques between the AWB and the Office of the Prime Minister, and Foreign Affairs. But Howard claims he did not know. The latest defense is that documents produced in the enquiry "did not specifically point to the AWB".
Well, thats just pathetic. The UN warns that Australian companies may be complicit in circumventing UN sanctions. The US raises questions about the AWB. The AWB was the largest user of the Oil-For-Food program. And nobody in the Government thought that the warnings could pertain to the AWB in Iraq? Rubbish. Howard now says that he asked the AWB executive if they were doing anything underhand - and they gave no evidence to suggest there was a problem. FUNNY, THAT!!!! What, they expected that they would say "Oh yes, we have been busting UN sanctions and rorting the Oil-for-food program. By the way, here is the EVIDENCE to back that up"??? OF COURSE THEY BLOODY WELL DIDN'T!!
This is typical of Howard. We didn't know, nobody told us. It is not our responsibility. YES IT IS! It is the responsibility of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, to monitor the legality of international trade occuring. The Westminister system operates under the principle of ministerial (including Prime-ministerial) responsibility whereby the Ministers are held directly responsible for what happens in their department. But under Howard - ever since Children Overboard - he has systematically undermined this principle, allowing Ministers to keep their job (Amanda Vanstone) or even be promoted (Phillip Ruddock and the former head of the Department of Immigration). This lack of Ministerial responsibility has become the norm in Australian Politics - which, coupled with a majority senate, is indeed a worry for the future of the country.
Howard - I hope your Metamucil gives you the runs.
The evidence suggests that several concers where raised by the American Government (or Wheat Lobby...) about some of the transactions. The UN also spoke the government about that. There were also close communiques between the AWB and the Office of the Prime Minister, and Foreign Affairs. But Howard claims he did not know. The latest defense is that documents produced in the enquiry "did not specifically point to the AWB".
Well, thats just pathetic. The UN warns that Australian companies may be complicit in circumventing UN sanctions. The US raises questions about the AWB. The AWB was the largest user of the Oil-For-Food program. And nobody in the Government thought that the warnings could pertain to the AWB in Iraq? Rubbish. Howard now says that he asked the AWB executive if they were doing anything underhand - and they gave no evidence to suggest there was a problem. FUNNY, THAT!!!! What, they expected that they would say "Oh yes, we have been busting UN sanctions and rorting the Oil-for-food program. By the way, here is the EVIDENCE to back that up"??? OF COURSE THEY BLOODY WELL DIDN'T!!
This is typical of Howard. We didn't know, nobody told us. It is not our responsibility. YES IT IS! It is the responsibility of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, to monitor the legality of international trade occuring. The Westminister system operates under the principle of ministerial (including Prime-ministerial) responsibility whereby the Ministers are held directly responsible for what happens in their department. But under Howard - ever since Children Overboard - he has systematically undermined this principle, allowing Ministers to keep their job (Amanda Vanstone) or even be promoted (Phillip Ruddock and the former head of the Department of Immigration). This lack of Ministerial responsibility has become the norm in Australian Politics - which, coupled with a majority senate, is indeed a worry for the future of the country.
Howard - I hope your Metamucil gives you the runs.
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