Old Emails Recommended AWB Investigation

February 28, 2006: The Cole enquiry has uncovered new evidence against the Australian Wheat Board in the form of emails sent to the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) requesting an urgent investigation into the AWB’s contracts in Iraq.

The emails reportedly show that the AWB was making payments to the Iraqi regime that were not disclosed to the UN. They also reveal that one country had been denied a wheat contract because it had turned down an Iraqi request to gather money for the regime.

Prime Minister John Howard has been among those questioned so far by the enquiry. In particular about a document the Government received in early 2000 which, Labour alleges, warns about kickbacks going to Saddam Hussein and the similarities between this and AWB contracts in Iraq.

The situation again highlights the importance of healthy document and records management over all areas of business to not only make an organisation compliant, but accountable.

The enquiry continues.

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