Michael Johnson (Ryan, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

This week Commissioner Terence Cole delivered to the parliament his findings after a year of investigation into the alleged conduct, impropriety and illegality of the AWB. His report was tabled this week. Of course, as members of the government and members of the executive contended all along, they were innocent of any alleged illegality, impropriety or constructive knowledge of the illegality of the AWB company.

This is not satisfactory to the federal opposition. I believe that the Leader of the Opposition and, in particular, the shadow foreign minister should hang their heads in absolute shame after a year of seeking to tarnish the good name and reputation of members of the government and, in particular, Foreign Minister Downer, the Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Mark Vaile. They should hang their heads in shame for seeking to smear the honour and the reputation of distinguished Australians serving their country as members of the government. I want to quote what Commissioner Cole said:

There is no evidence that any of the Prime Minister, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, the Minister for Trade or the Minister for Agriculture ... were ever informed about, or otherwise acquired knowledge of, the relevant activities of AWB.

These are the words of Commissioner Cole, a very distinguished lawyer and a very distinguished former judge of a superior court of this country, making it absolutely clear that the Prime Minister, the foreign minister, the trade minister and the agriculture minister had no reason to have any information about the alleged activities of the AWB. Of course, the allegations coming from the federal opposition—allegations of corruption, bribery, dishonesty, deceit, cover-ups and immorality—are absolutely untenable to remain unchallenged in this post-Cole climate. We must continue to defend our names and our honour.

I know the ALP does not like the findings of the Cole commission, but we must remember that this was a royal commission. It had all the powers of a royal commission, including powers of subpoena—indeed, powers of subpoena to the effect that the most sensitive documents of departments came before it. It was fully transparent. The Prime Minister of this country gave evidence. The foreign minister of this country gave evidence. The Deputy Prime Minister of this country gave evidence. And, after a long period of forensic and clinical investigation, the Cole commission cleared the Howard government. It cleared the names of the foreign minister, the trade minister and the agriculture minister, yet the character assassinations of the Labor Party continue. You cannot attack people’s reputation without substantial evidence, and the Labor Party should hang their heads in absolute shame. (Time expired)