ABC Online;Federal Opposition Leader Kim Beazley says Prime...

ABC Online;
Federal Opposition Leader Kim Beazley says Prime Minister John Howard should tell the Australian people when and what he knew about AWB's involvement in the oil-for-food scandal in Iraq.

At the Cole inquiry yesterday, it was revealed a cable warning of alleged AWB kickbacks to the former Iraqi regime was sent to Mr Howard's office six years ago.

Mr Howard has repeatedly claimed he had no knowledge of the alleged bribes until the United Nations (UN) Volcker inquiry into the matter last year.

Mr Beazley says the Government turned a blind eye to the warnings.

"These cables prove conclusively that that is exactly what they did and the Prime Minister was at the very heart of it," he said.

"So my message is the party's over Mr Howard, you were at the heart of this national scandal - you go to the commission and tell the Australian people what you knew."

But Mr Howard still denies any knowledge of the cable tendered in evidence to the Cole Inquiry.

"There's been a check made in my office and it doesn't indicate that cable - and I get hundreds, indeed thousands, of cables a week - was ever brought to my attention and that's my recollection," Mr Howard said.

Dave R.