A hanging offence.

Congratulations Tony Kevin. The mendacity of the Howard government is again on show. Apart from bending over backwards to deny the undeniable it is hiding behind the AWB's company status arguing that it only has remote oversight over its business operations through the Wheat Export Authority. Although this is a blatantly dishonest excuse the disaster would then be the direct result of its failed small government and privatisation philosophy. The remedy here is not to create more wheat export companies but, instead, to bring the AWB back under direct Government control. Australia is not the US. A government managed monopoly over wheat exports makes perfect sense here. For the Howard government to argue now that it served the nation because, after all, the AWB managed to sell the wheat, is appalling. At what price to the nation? Either way this Government deserves to be sacked. The mismanagement is gross. Ministerial responsibility? Prime Ministerial responsibility. It doesn't exist here! Can anyone explain to me what is so great about the Westminister system?

What is the mechanism whereby the Parliament can now pass a motion of No confidence in this Government and force new elections? What is the Opposition doing to find a majority, either in the House of Representatives or the Senate, to stop this Government? Will the ALP reverse its misguided opposition to Blocking Supply? Having abandoned socialist principles long ago is it talking to dissident National Party and Liberal Party MPs in country seats whose concern about the wheat scandal rightly must be enormous? How can the NP live with its Liberal Party Coalition partner? What happens if the wheat sales dry up to Islam countries?? Could it contemplate offering a Coalition deal with the ALP? Or would it just disappear from the radar altogether?

Klaas Woldring,
Pearl Beach, 2256

The last few posts have the rueful ring of truth about them. I hate to say "I told you so" - my father's family were country people from the Forbes-Bathurst area ands rural hardship distresses me greatly. I've been trying to warn Australians about the criminal irresponsibility of Howard's foreign ande national security policies for the last five or six years, along the lines of the points that PK, Opinionated2 and Busdbred are making now. It is a tragedy that our highly-paid foreign policy gurus in Canberra - both in governmewnt and big media - didn't think about all this then - or if they did, simply mocked our warnings. Dick Woolcott, General Peter Gration, and the rest of the Group of 43 former military and diplomats (I was one of them) tried to warn not to invade Iraq. But the Howard Gang thought they knew it all, they did not need any advice from siperannuated former officials . Australia's rural economy will now pay for that arrogance and stupidity.

My advice to the Nationals - get rid of your Quislings and turncoats - not just the ones who have crossed over to the Libs, bit those who are Libs in Nationals clothing. Rebadge as The Country Party - a proud name - and regreoup around leaders like Barnaby Joyce and Fiona Nash, Bring in Independents - Windsor, Andren, Katter and Bruce Haigh too. Become a new independent party , cut the cord to Howard.

With the right candidates you would be a small and inflential independent party able to wxercise real leverage and prevent new Howard mad military adventures, eg a war on Iran. That is a real risk now - think of what it would do to our rural exports. Howard is screwing you, and will go on screwing you unless you do something about it now

Exactly Tony Kevin,

What are these people waiting for? We need a new political alignment in Australia and the present crisis could well be the catalyst to achieve that situation provided that the progressive country people take the initiative.

There is already a core of such a new independent party in existence. But there is a lot more to be fixed in Australia than restoring the viability and independence of the bush. They should not go back to what was the Country Party but look forward on behalf o the entire nation. The two-party tyranny has lost its way, there is basically no real reformist zeal in the political establishment left.

Klaas Woldring.

I think a few people ignore the real reason we went to Iraq. Personally I still think its tied up with the fact that Howard wanted to get into George's good books, to get that free trade agreement with the US.

Australian produce is still locked out of many markets, particularly Europe. So Howard wanted to ensure that we had at least free access to one large market. So a nominal support was given for Iraq, ie. as few people as possible, Johnnie got the big tick from George for it and the free trade agreement was signed.

AWB Tony Kevin:

"something is rotten in the state of Denmark" (Hamlet.Act1.Sc4) best describes the alarming position Australia finds it's self.

"fair is foul and fool is fair" (the Bard.Act1.sc1) Corporate Oz. Where the Big Australian. BHP Billiton disgraces it self in conniving to use it's immense resources to defraud the Commonwealth, loses face and cast a unredeemable shadow on Business ethics ( mission statement ) for the rest Of Corporate Aust to emulate ! Indeed.

As the saga unfolds, our illustrous PM becomes more embroiled in complicity, who knows where the Cole Inquiry will ultimately end ! This may be the trigger to finally unseat a pathological, systemic, mendacious charlatan from the Lodge ! Ironically, his holier-than-thou appraisal will have much more bitter ramifications than a mere $300 M. It will ruin lively-hoods, destroy a National Commodity icon and tarnish forever our Global credibility ! The aftermath threatens not only the decimation of the Wheat Board, it will affect the export of live animals, meat, sugar, cereals etc the bulk of export trade less ores,coal,gas etc. The inescapable fact we are living beyond our means will reinforce Politician's notions : Labour, Democrats, Greenies, the Oz economy is on shaky grounds. One blunder, is one too many ?

Had it not been for Kofi Annan ( Oct.2005 )who kick-started this regrettable fiasco, the Cole Inquiry would not have eventuated, even though we were well aware of the trepidations of Andrew Lindbery (1996) AWB, covertly tried to conceal. There will be other casualty's in the process, but with a Government in damage control, it is unlikely the chief proponents will ever be brought to trial, much less castigated. The onerous procedures of promotions, Order of Australia, plum UN postings, etc will ensure - " and thus I clothe my naked villiany with old odd ends, sloh forth of holy writ, and seem a saint, when most I play the devil " Shakespeare.

continued..

The UN Volker Inquiry implicated 3 Australian Companies in the ' oil for food Programme 'We know there dozen's of bit players involved in the reconstruction of Iraq. A growth Industry, the shonks are working overtime in Canberra lobbying the 'lush ' contracts even though the 'pickings' are in reality what is left after the US's Haliburton et al and local Iraqi Business's have thoroughly 'gouged the eyes out' of Iraq's work program.

BHP to their discredit, 1995 arranged for a $5 M line of credit through DFO, to grease Saddam's unequivocal support into accepting AWB's proposal to 'bribe' him.

In light of these revelations, and then later selling the 'debt' to a shelf company Tigris Petroleum, should have sent 'alarm bells' ringing. Yet, paradoxically, the whole shenigans was conveniently sidelined. What is more beffling, they attempted to recuperate their expenses by applying to the Tax Office for 'business exemptions' with the tacit approval of DFO ? The plot get murkier ! The juxtaposition would certainly have failed if it didn't have the sanctions of a collusive Government.

One would hasten to ask where was the ONA (Office of National ASSessment) ASIO, DIO ( Dept Intelligence Office) and myriad Organisations involved with security of our Nation ? The mental and moral vacuum in the way we do Business in Oz ? The much vaunted Business ETHICS, mission statements and adjuvant phantasmagorical company slogans are realistically... bullsh !

The Fact, Public Servants have been indemnified and sinisterly ' gagged 'is testament we are not fair dinkum about the truth. Of course, as some repeat mantras like: " it wont be the last ". Not by a long shot !.Meanwhile, the ASIC and ATO should be rubbing their hands in glee, in anticapation of prosecutions in Australia's Biggest Corporate Fraud.

The fallout will most likely be hushed up. Stakeholders, whistleblowers, and rah rah's will wax lyrical and adopt the general, traditional attitude of playing the piano on the ground floor of the brothel, and affecting neither to know nor care what goes on upstairs ?

Cheers