House debates Questions without Notice
Oil for Food Program
Kevin Rudd Griffith, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade and International Security
2:52 pm
My question is also to the Minister for Foreign Affairs. I refer to the foreign minister’s statement of 7 November 2005 on the $300 million ‘wheat for weapons’ scandal, when he said: ‘We provided every piece of information that we could find to the Volcker inquiry.’ Will the minister formally confirm to the parliament today that, with the exception of intelligence documents, every document provided by his department to the Cole inquiry had previously also been provided to the Volcker inquiry?
Alexander Downer Mayo, Liberal Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs
We obviously provided full cooperation with the Volcker inquiry and I think, as the Prime Minister already said in answer to an earlier question today, that has been attested to by one of the people who worked for the Volcker inquiry. I seem to recall that when I visited Mr Volcker at the end of last year that was confirmed as well. As far as the Cole inquiry is concerned, we have obviously fully cooperated with him. Let me make this point: the Volcker committee was impressed with the cooperation of the Australian inquiry and, as a result of the Volcker inquiry—
Kevin Rudd Griffith, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade and International Security
Mr Speaker, my question was very short and to the point.
Kevin Rudd Griffith, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade and International Security
It is on relevance, Mr Speaker. Had every document he provided to the Volcker inquiry—
David Hawker Speaker
The member for Griffith will resume his seat. The minister is entirely in order.
Alexander Downer Mayo, Liberal Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs
I have no knowledge whatsoever of us withholding documents from the Cole inquiry that we provided to the Volcker inquiry.