Email Exposes ‘Trucking Fees’
Email Exposes ‘Trucking Fees’
September 29, 2006: After 71 days of the Cole Inquiry, the Australian Wheat Board has handed over documents regarding the payment of ‘trucking fees’ to Iraqis.
One of the documents, an email from international sales manager, Mark Emons, effectively shows that AWB executives knew such fees would be breaking UN-sanctions. More importantly, the document also indicates the AWB tried to cover it up.
The email sent to London shipping agent, Ronly Holdings says, “it would be ideal from our point of view if we have a third party that handles the freight and trucking as an item. This not only saves us time but does disguise the fee.”
Commissioner Terence Cole, QC, vented his frustration at the delay in handing the documents over. “It seems apparent to me that these documents ought to have been produced months ago,” he said from the bench. “I am unable to understand why they were not.”
The AWB claim they did not know what the documents contained. Rosemary Peavey, corporate counsel for the AWB, could not explain her failure to produce the document. “Arnold Bloch Leibler has been pulling together all the relevant documents,” she said from the witness box. “I think you need to ask the company’s lawyers.”
Other law firms involved in the document sorting include Blake Dawson Waldron, Minter Ellison and Phillips Fox.
James Judd, QC for the AWB apologised to Commissioner Cole admitting that the documents could have shortened the length of the inquiry. The final bill for the inquiry is expected to hit the $40 million mark.