The AWB scandal is overblown-not so pure but simple.

The author makes the point that the market should be a regulator in part-well with AWB the market is and was the regulator. The left has hijacked the morality of the AWB situation for its own ends. The facts remain that AWB's 'links' to the Iraqi regime were not unusual. For instance French companies exported more oil to Iraq than any others, were cited on numerous occasions by the Volker enquiry but are destined never to be questioned. Russian gas companies are in similar position. Kofi Annan's own son reputedly made millions of dollars through 'oil for food'.

I'm not saying that two wrongs make a right but the bottom line is that in some countries and under some regimes, cultural relativism and neccesity mean that the term 'bribery' is not recognised-nepotism, donations and and kick backs fill the void. Australian companies would not and could not compete in any other way.

Secondly the author contends that community morals or interaction should provide checks and balances for big business. Once again in the case of AWB I think the community will recognise that (a) It was either Australian wheat with 'kickbacks', American wheat with 'kickbacks', or more starving Iraqi children; and (b) the recriminations of a US Senator who just happens to be a champion of the US farm lobby are just a little two faced and hypocritical.

In an ideal world these sought of arguments wouldn't be necessary-I just don't see anything 'ideal' about our world

"Policy makers need to consider new ways of transferring power away from government to the community and policies"

One could easily say this about Labor party factionalism too.

Ouch!

Definitely agree that the whole thing was overblown.

A free market would not solve the problem,
a. A market like the wheat market might not be able to support 2 competitors and all we would be doing would just be doubling the expense incurred in selling wheat. Since this is a competitive market, where the US subsidises their wheat farmer substantially (and illegally) minimising cost using a monopoly in Australia might be the best solution
b. having multiple seller does not reduce the incentive to use bribe to obtain contracts, local council building approval (and NSW state government building approval) would be 2 cases where a free market does not equate an efficient and corruption free market

It is great fun to see the media wasting its time on an issue that does not engage the populace. Who cares? There has been no suggestion that any employee of AWB made one cent out of the wheat deals with Iraq. Similarly there are no charges that any other Australian benefited in any way.

For anyone to think that Hussein would buy wheat from anyone without a kickback is just living in fairyland. All the AWB did was pay money to the Jordanian trucking company and then add that amout to the invoices to Iraq.

If anyone think the issue matters, just look at the number of people in the public gallery in Federal Parliament.

You can expect that after all the huffing and puffing is over, John Howards rating will have increased.

Bribes and kickbacks is the order of the day in the ME.

The real issue that is being swept under the carpet is the major cover up from ALL involved.

How long were we (the public) supposed to stay in the dark?

Who will be the scapegoat this time?

If we knew about this sensitive issue with Iraq – one wonders if we had to send the troops or is this irrelevant?

How many other deals are we not to know about?

Howard continues to smile as if lying is as natural as shaving for him…

Sorry but I lost all respect for these so called elected leaders – all they care about is their longevity on the job, fixing the books and checking their retirement benefits.

Christian, a lot of us remember the Hawke-Keating locust years. The only thing Keating reformed was the T/A rules.

The AWB scandal is not the only scandal. Here in Australia, the ALP and the other mob are always conducting raids on the taxpayers' purse. Isn't that a scandal?

Did you know that the ALP bumped up the salary of a grade seven clerk from $53,000 per year to $565,000 and a five year contract just for withdrawing from an ALP pre-selection contest? This lucky clerk got to serve on a transport safey board even though he held no expertise. Is that the sort of bribery you're talking about?
Or are you talking about someone who converts a sleepy village into a capital city so he can claim $43,000 in T/A? Is that a scandal?

Christian, do you get around with a white cane?