Kelvin Thomson (Wills, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Public Accountability and Human Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Foreign Affairs. Given that the foreign minister must give his permission, under Customs regulation 4QA, for the importation of goods from Iraq, will the foreign minister guarantee that every drop of Iraqi oil imported into Australia while the wheat kickbacks were being paid fully complied with the UN oil for food program and did not breach Australia’s international obligations?

Alexander Downer (Mayo, Liberal Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I have no reason to believe they breached obligations, and in relation to the rest of those matters we can wait until the Cole commission produces its report and then, when we see what is in it, we can have a discussion. In relation to oil imports from Iraq, I have no reason to believe there has been a breach of the sanctions—not that I am aware of.