Remember Graham Richardson and "Whatever it takes"? Remember Whitlam and the Khemlani affair? Gareth Evans and Cheryl Kernot? The whiteboard affair?

In the world of political grubbery I think the sides are about even.

Sheesh, so many theorists out there, so few understand realpolitik that sometimes applies.

The US and EU have been playing dirty for years and years, with all their subsidies. But thats ok it seems. AWB had one job, to outsmart them and move wheat for Aussie growers at the best possible price. I'm told that the Iraq market added 10-15$ a tonne to the pool value. AWB sold the wheat and added internal transport fees
for delivery. All quite legal. Approved by the UN.

Perhaps they suspected that some kickbacks were being paid to some people. Perhaps they also suspected that 2000 other companies were doing the same. From the news they would also have known that Albright said it was quite acceptable if half a million Iraqis died, due to sanctions against Iraq.

I don't think its AWBs job to be ethicists. In that case we would need to boycott America. AWB moved wheat on behalf of Australian growers, competing with American and European taxpayers, not with other growers. If there were ethical questions, it was the UNs role to ask them. Companies do what they do, ie trade, let others ask the questions if they feel there is a problem.

Australian taxpayers are free to offer to pay higher taxes and susbiside wheat, as is done in America and Europe, if they want.
Then we can get all high and mighty. Meantime farmers have not even been compensated for money lost due to the initial sanctions against Iraq, even though Govt said it would. So who is unethical here?

OOps rlindsay,

It may be that the plot has just thickened for the AWB. See http://www.abc.net.au/worldtoday/content/2006/s1572310.htm

If the allegations are proven against the AWB then they may not only owe the farmers $300million but IF they claimed the transport costs as a tax deduction they may owe the ATO another $90 million plus fines...

For all those who argued kickbacks are OK because everyone else does it ... Congratulations you have been proven wrong!

It begs the question ... If as you guys allege this is all standard practise in the Middle Eastern and Asian countries how do other companies claim the kickbacks they pay in their accounts?

I can see a nest of worms opening up here... OOps anyone want to argue kickbacks are a good thing anymore?

Howdy again WRE, RL, Perseus et al,

First the issue of cultural relativism: I didn't raise it as my argument is solely about potential breaches of Australian Law, one either supports acting in accordance with the law of this land or one does not. A business operator who was not negligent would get a legal opinion on the balance of probabilities of their proposed action being legal and then act in good faith. Hiding, dodging and covering-up seem to me to be inconsistent with such good faith.

As to the silliness of Perseus,
"... just about any migrant from a third world nation would have had to commit the crime of bribery of an official numerous times before they even got their first kid into school. Would you bar them from entry to the country on the basis of their criminal past?"
Firstly, at the time of your proposed bribery, these potential immigrants are not Australian citizens and, thus, not subject to Australian Law (which is why unethical companies often have a "local partner" to do their dirty work). Secondly, such checks as to criminal background within the country of origin's laws are (supposedly) routine, but we had best not get into the performance of dept. immigration, eh?

The article and the debate are about the damage done to Australia's trading reputation by the actions of the AWB and the Government's handling of governance of the monopoly and of the participation in the Oil for Food program. It is not about left vs right or political grubbery on both sides or any other sideshow. My argument is that the option of complicity or negligence for AWB executives, the Government, and Public Servants is unlikely to do our trading reputation any good, and is likely to diminish it.

To opinionated2, Alpal and others who have further enlightened me, thanks.

Odsoc

I’ve read the incoming contributions on this thread with interest. I have posted on my personal website tonykevin.com the three pieces I have had published on the AWB over the past nine days. Anyone who reads these three published commentaries will see my conclusion that the main victims are first and foremost, the needy Iraqi children who were deprived of $300 million worth of food and medicines they desperately needed; and secondly, Australian wheat farmers who now risk losing their vital Middle Eastern markets to North American competitors.

I lay the main blame for the potential loss of this market on the stupidity and recklessness of the Howard Government in the years 2000-2003, in trying to at the same time maintain Iraq as a major Australian wheat customer, while treacherously preparing with the US to invade that country; and then in having the stupidity and cowardice in 2005-2006 to succumb meekly to American pressure to set up a judicial inquiry, that would inevitably uncover the whole sorry mess the AWB got into

I take no pleasure in what AWB executives have been going through in the Cole inquiry. They were not putting graft money paid to Saddam’s officials in their own pockets – they were trying to protect a major Australian growers’ market that was being subjected to gross market interference from the provocative actions of the Howard gang (which, like Dick Cheney, couldn’t shoot straight). .

What worries me now is that in the already long-running media focus on the AWB’s misdemeanours, the Howard government is as usual tiptoeing away from the mess, and may yet avoid the blame that should properly be sheeted home to itself. I would. like to see Messrs Howard, Hill, Downer and Vaile up there testifying before Commissioner Cole, to take the investigative heat that properly should be turned on them now.

But Labor and the media are visibly running out of puff on the story.

Tony Kevin, Canberra 18 Februar

Tony,

I am not sure I agree with you with the Govt tip toeing away....

An article in the Courier Mail Qld. today (Saturday) by Peter Charlton alleges that 3 Govt members ...Ex Deputy PM John Anderson, Community Services Minister John Cobb and Malcolm Turnball all allegedly disposed of AWB shares back in either 2004 & 2005 when questions were being raised about the AWB.

The article also alleges that Mr Anderson neglected to notify the change in situation regarding his shareholding in the AWB to the register of parliamentarian's interests. The article alleges that he sold his shares on Oct 10 & 11 last year and only filed a declaration to the Clerk of the House of Reps on Thursday.

It's an interesting article on page 28 in the Inside Mail section of the paper under the heading "Wheat documents hard to find". I can't find it on the web yet so you may have to buy a copy. I think it should be on the front page of the Courier Mail and on there website as it is a most informative article.

One thing I have noticed on this thread though is the defence of doing business by what they alleged to be the Middle Eastern way has dried up... Maybe people are choking on sand...Ha!

Odsoc and thanks for your valuable input into this thread also...

WE are the little fish in a big pond and sadly the wheat growers of Australia appear to have been let down badly.