Mark Vaile (Lyne, National Party, Minister for Trade) Share this | Hansard source

I have checked my records following the tabling of this cable in the Cole inquiry, and I have checked with the then deputy managing director of Austrade. I do not have a record of any specific briefing he gave me; he does not have any record of any specific briefing he gave me. But the general issue that was being addressed and reported here was certainly known to the government at the time because DFAT were dealing with it. DFAT had taken advice. Information had come in from the mission in New York. They had sought responses from the AWB. This is all public knowledge in the public domain at the moment. DFAT were dealing with the issue in the broader public domain. They had sought advice from the AWB and ultimately they provided the information required to the UN, to the satisfaction of the UN.

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