ID :
73604
Mon, 08/03/2009 - 19:57
Auther :
Shortlink :
http://m.oananews.org//node/73604
The shortlink copeid
I won't be in Utegate audit: Turnbull
Federal Opposition Leader Malcolm Turnbull says he doesn't expect to be mentioned in
an auditor-general's report into the Utegate affair.
The auditor-general's report into the fake email affair is due to be released on
Tuesday.
Mr Turnbull used the evidence of the email to call for Mr Rudd's resignation in June
but it was found by police three days later to be a fake.
Had the email been genuine, it would have meant Mr Rudd had misled parliament.
The report has investigated claims the Rudd government gave special assistance to
Queensland car dealer John Grant, who was trying to secure car industry finance.
Mr Grant provided Mr Rudd, his friend and neighbour in Brisbane, with a free ute to
use as a mobile electorate office.
Mr Turnbull told reporters on the Gold Coast he had not seen the report and the
auditor-general had not spoken to him.
"The auditor-general has never spoken to me, so I assume I don't feature in his
report, and nor should I," Mr Turnbull said.
"As to what it says about (Treasurer Wayne) Swan and his department, we'll see it
when we read the report.
"I'll comment on the report when I've read it."
Mr Turnbull declined to comment on claims he met with the senior Treasury official
at the centre of the scandal, Godwin Grech, before Mr Grech's appearance at a Senate
inquiry hearing on June 19.
Mr Grech is now being investigated by the federal police over a fake email used by
the opposition to claim that Mr Rudd requested Mr Grant be assisted through the
OzCar scheme.
"I was asked to cooperate with that and I gave full cooperation to that
investigation... I'm not going to say anything more about it until that
investigation is complete," Mr Turnbull said.
An AFP spokesman on Monday said their investigation into the affair was continuing.
Mr Grech alleged an email had been sent to him by a senior adviser in Mr Rudd's
office seeking help for Mr Grant to gain access to the OzCar scheme, which was set
up to provide finance for car dealers unable to get credit due to the global
financial crisis.
an auditor-general's report into the Utegate affair.
The auditor-general's report into the fake email affair is due to be released on
Tuesday.
Mr Turnbull used the evidence of the email to call for Mr Rudd's resignation in June
but it was found by police three days later to be a fake.
Had the email been genuine, it would have meant Mr Rudd had misled parliament.
The report has investigated claims the Rudd government gave special assistance to
Queensland car dealer John Grant, who was trying to secure car industry finance.
Mr Grant provided Mr Rudd, his friend and neighbour in Brisbane, with a free ute to
use as a mobile electorate office.
Mr Turnbull told reporters on the Gold Coast he had not seen the report and the
auditor-general had not spoken to him.
"The auditor-general has never spoken to me, so I assume I don't feature in his
report, and nor should I," Mr Turnbull said.
"As to what it says about (Treasurer Wayne) Swan and his department, we'll see it
when we read the report.
"I'll comment on the report when I've read it."
Mr Turnbull declined to comment on claims he met with the senior Treasury official
at the centre of the scandal, Godwin Grech, before Mr Grech's appearance at a Senate
inquiry hearing on June 19.
Mr Grech is now being investigated by the federal police over a fake email used by
the opposition to claim that Mr Rudd requested Mr Grant be assisted through the
OzCar scheme.
"I was asked to cooperate with that and I gave full cooperation to that
investigation... I'm not going to say anything more about it until that
investigation is complete," Mr Turnbull said.
An AFP spokesman on Monday said their investigation into the affair was continuing.
Mr Grech alleged an email had been sent to him by a senior adviser in Mr Rudd's
office seeking help for Mr Grant to gain access to the OzCar scheme, which was set
up to provide finance for car dealers unable to get credit due to the global
financial crisis.
