ID :
73968
Thu, 08/06/2009 - 11:58
Auther :
Shortlink :
http://m.oananews.org//node/73968
The shortlink copeid
Govt to refer Turnbull to Senate probe
(AAP) - Labor had no alternative but to refer the OzCar affair to a Senate privileges committee for investigation of possible contempt, Prime Minister Kevin Rudd says.
Opposition leader in the Senate, Nick Minchin, says the opposition will consider
supporting the referral, expected next week, provided it is not "a party political
witch-hunt".
Senator Minchin said they were prepared to negotiate with the government on the
terms of reference of any inquiry into the affair in which claims Mr Rudd used his
position to help a car dealer friend turned out to be false.
Mr Rudd took aim at Malcolm Turnbull, accusing the opposition leader of "appalling
judgment" and lacking the integrity to continue as leader.
"I believe what's been on display here is characteristics of impulsiveness, of
rashness, and for someone who's trained as a lawyer, why no due diligence was
applied to this matter at all. None whatsoever," Mr Rudd said on Wednesday.
Deputy Prime Minister Julia Gillard also weighed in, saying Mr Turnbull lacked both
character and judgment to be prime minister of Australia.
"People who watch Senate inquiries are entitled to think that they are bona fide
attempts to get to the truth. What Malcolm Turnbull ensured is that this Senate
inquiry was a pantomime," Ms Gillard said.
Mr Turnbull stayed in Sydney on Wednesday, attending to electorate commitments in
his seat of Wentworth but senior Liberals came to his defence, although clearly some
were concerned.
Senator Minchin said Mr Turnbull had done what any responsible leader would have
done when presented with what, on the face of it, appeared to credible evidence of
wrongdoing.
"I remain fully supportive of the opposition leader, Malcolm Turnbull. He has my and
the party's full support. He's innocent in all this," Senator Minchin said.
Senior frontbencher Senator Helen Coonan and lower house colleague Scott Morrison
also expressed their support publicly, as did Tony Abbott on Tuesday night.
Senator Coonan said she believed it was "highly unlikely" a privileges inquiry would
have an adverse finding.
But in an interview on Fairfax Radio on Wednesday, former treasurer and retiring MP
Peter Costello confessed he had received "a few" phone calls from parliamentary
colleagues in the past few days.
He declined to give any further details saying: "In politics as in life, if somebody
says something nice about them never try and talk them out of it".
Labor claims Mr Turnbull, and his deputy leader in the Senate Eric Abetz,
collaborated with the Treasury official at the heart of the affair, Godwin Grech, to
stage-manage the Senate inquiry into the OzCar legislation.
Questions asked by Senator Abetz and answers given by Mr Grech during the inquiry
hearing on June 4 and June 19 are almost identical to suggested questions and
answers provided to the Opposition by Mr Grech before each hearing.
While, on Tuesday, Mr Turnbull avoided making an apology for the affair, Senator
Abetz said he was both sorry and embarrassed that he and his boss had been duped by
someone they knew and felt they could trust.
"I'm very sorry for the outcome and what occurred because I don't think it's done
anybody any favours," Senator Abetz said on Wednesday.
But he disputed that it was he and Mr Turnbull who coached Mr Grech before he gave
evidence to the OzCar inquiry.
"Can I say, he, in fact, coached us rather than the other way round because he came
with a prepared set of questions," Senator Abetz said.
Labor failed in an attempt to refer the conduct of the OzCar bill inquiry to the
privileges committee in late June after Family First senator Steve Fielding used his
casting vote to defeat the motion.
But Senator Fielding, whose vote will be crucial next week if the opposition opposes
the motion, has received advice from the Clerk of the Senate Harry Evans on what
constitutes contempt of the Senate.
While taking part in another, unrelated, Senate inquiry on Wednesday, Senator
Fielding expressed concern about the potential to coach or script witnesses,
participating in another Senate inquiry.
Opposition leader in the Senate, Nick Minchin, says the opposition will consider
supporting the referral, expected next week, provided it is not "a party political
witch-hunt".
Senator Minchin said they were prepared to negotiate with the government on the
terms of reference of any inquiry into the affair in which claims Mr Rudd used his
position to help a car dealer friend turned out to be false.
Mr Rudd took aim at Malcolm Turnbull, accusing the opposition leader of "appalling
judgment" and lacking the integrity to continue as leader.
"I believe what's been on display here is characteristics of impulsiveness, of
rashness, and for someone who's trained as a lawyer, why no due diligence was
applied to this matter at all. None whatsoever," Mr Rudd said on Wednesday.
Deputy Prime Minister Julia Gillard also weighed in, saying Mr Turnbull lacked both
character and judgment to be prime minister of Australia.
"People who watch Senate inquiries are entitled to think that they are bona fide
attempts to get to the truth. What Malcolm Turnbull ensured is that this Senate
inquiry was a pantomime," Ms Gillard said.
Mr Turnbull stayed in Sydney on Wednesday, attending to electorate commitments in
his seat of Wentworth but senior Liberals came to his defence, although clearly some
were concerned.
Senator Minchin said Mr Turnbull had done what any responsible leader would have
done when presented with what, on the face of it, appeared to credible evidence of
wrongdoing.
"I remain fully supportive of the opposition leader, Malcolm Turnbull. He has my and
the party's full support. He's innocent in all this," Senator Minchin said.
Senior frontbencher Senator Helen Coonan and lower house colleague Scott Morrison
also expressed their support publicly, as did Tony Abbott on Tuesday night.
Senator Coonan said she believed it was "highly unlikely" a privileges inquiry would
have an adverse finding.
But in an interview on Fairfax Radio on Wednesday, former treasurer and retiring MP
Peter Costello confessed he had received "a few" phone calls from parliamentary
colleagues in the past few days.
He declined to give any further details saying: "In politics as in life, if somebody
says something nice about them never try and talk them out of it".
Labor claims Mr Turnbull, and his deputy leader in the Senate Eric Abetz,
collaborated with the Treasury official at the heart of the affair, Godwin Grech, to
stage-manage the Senate inquiry into the OzCar legislation.
Questions asked by Senator Abetz and answers given by Mr Grech during the inquiry
hearing on June 4 and June 19 are almost identical to suggested questions and
answers provided to the Opposition by Mr Grech before each hearing.
While, on Tuesday, Mr Turnbull avoided making an apology for the affair, Senator
Abetz said he was both sorry and embarrassed that he and his boss had been duped by
someone they knew and felt they could trust.
"I'm very sorry for the outcome and what occurred because I don't think it's done
anybody any favours," Senator Abetz said on Wednesday.
But he disputed that it was he and Mr Turnbull who coached Mr Grech before he gave
evidence to the OzCar inquiry.
"Can I say, he, in fact, coached us rather than the other way round because he came
with a prepared set of questions," Senator Abetz said.
Labor failed in an attempt to refer the conduct of the OzCar bill inquiry to the
privileges committee in late June after Family First senator Steve Fielding used his
casting vote to defeat the motion.
But Senator Fielding, whose vote will be crucial next week if the opposition opposes
the motion, has received advice from the Clerk of the Senate Harry Evans on what
constitutes contempt of the Senate.
While taking part in another, unrelated, Senate inquiry on Wednesday, Senator
Fielding expressed concern about the potential to coach or script witnesses,
participating in another Senate inquiry.
