re: howard govt in trouble over
Hadn't previously read Chuck's thread-starter and wonder if the following extract is referring to DFAT or AWB?
"Apart from the duplicity, illegality, immorality and stupidity of {an Australian government organization} paying the biggest bribe of all the bribes paid to Saddam Hussein's regime,.........."
If it is referring to DFAT that is not what the current enquiry was told. The bribe was arranged by AWB with some involvement of BHP.
As I understand it the AWB was privatised in 1999 so is it “an Australian government organization" that was paying the bribe or a public company? If it is the latter and the reference is to AWB then Chuck's source has got it wrong and it is somewhat less likely that the Government was privy to the details.
What the involvement of DFAT and Foreign Affairs was still needs to be ascertained but AWB may have had very obvious reasons (clinching the deal) to keep its corrupt dealings hidden from the Government agencies.
