the hole gets deeper...

How long before DFAT and Federal government ministers get named;
ABC Online
New documents produced to the Cole inquiry show that nine top executives in AWB were told that trucking fees for wheat sales to Iraq went to Saddam Hussein's government.

The material sent to all the executives contradicts the claim by AWB, that it was not knowingly involved in arrangements to channel funds to the former regime.

AWB managing director Andrew Lindberg said he did not recall the May 2003 tactical and intelligence report on Iraqi wheat sales which went to nine inner-circle executives.

A document sent to nine senior executives in 2003 reveals repayments from Alia Trucking in Jordan were sought direct from the Iraqi Government.

AWB was trying to get about $4 million back from Alia Trucking as services had not been provided.

Commissioner Terence Cole said the report shows the money had to be obtained from the Iraqi Grains Board of Saddam Hussein's regime and make it clear the trucking fees were a conduit to Iraq.

Commissioner Cole said if any of the nine executives read the report, they would have known for more than two years that claim was false.

Mr Lindberg could not remember the document despite having established a special AWB committee because the market was in jeopardy following the invasion of Iraq.

He was not prepared to concede that if any of the nine executives had read the report they will have to concede the "didn't know" line to Government, the UN and the Cole inquiry, was false.

Mr Lindberg has admitted to the Cole inquiry he was warned about the integrity of AWB's international wheat sales but he did not act on the warning.

He has said he thought the integrity problems were being dealt with by other managers.

Earlier, the inquiry heard Mr Lindberg approved an indemnity for staff who negotiated a potentially illegal contract with a Pakistani agent.

In other testimony, AWB's lawyers denied trying to induce present and former employees not to tell the truth to the inquiry.

Dave R.