Labor moves closer to OzCar inquiry

Labor has moved a step closer to getting its OzCar affair Senate inquiry, gaining
the qualified support of Family First senator Steve Fielding.
But Senator Fielding placed a caveat on his backing, seeking support for a separate
reference to the Senate privileges committee to examine the conduct of
Communications Minister Stephen Conroy in another inquiry last year.
The clamour over the affair refused to fade away on Thursday as Australian Public
Service (APS) Commissioner Lynelle Briggs launched an attack on the notion that it's
reasonable for public servants to leak information to opposition parties.
In a lengthy statement Ms Briggs indirectly criticised comments by Opposition Leader
Malcolm Turnbull on Tuesday that leaks and whistleblowing are an important part of
Canberra culture.
Deputy opposition leader in the Senate Eric Abetz had also said on Wednesday that it
was a "stock in trade" of an opposition to get leaks from public servants on a
regular basis.
"It is extraordinary and quite wrong that comments are being made claiming that it
is reasonable for public servants to give government information to opposition
parties," Ms Briggs said.
"This isn't normal practice, nor is it usual practice, and it is not whistleblowing."
Ms Briggs says public servants serve the government, regardless of political
complexion, which she says is the constitutional reality.
"It is not part of our role as APS employees to serve the opposition," Ms Briggs said.
Mr Turnbull spent a second day away from public glare after he was forced to defend
himself on Tuesday for trusting Treasury official Godwin Grech who gave him what
turned out to be phoney information.
Based on the information, Mr Turnbull had called for the resignations of the prime
minister and treasurer in June.
This week Mr Grech admitted he had forged an email which implied Prime Minister
Kevin Rudd had misused his office to help his friend, Ipswich car dealer John Grant,
get access to finance under the government's OzCar scheme.
Senator Fielding said he was concerned the integrity of the Senate was at stake in
the light of Labor claims that Mr Turnbull and Senator Abetz colluded with Mr Grech
to stage-manage a Senate inquiry into the OzCar bill in June.
He said he had tried to contact Mr Grech this week and thought, if he is able, the
public servant should give evidence to a privileges committee inquiry.
"I have made phone calls in the last couple of days to see if I can speak to him
directly, just to go through some of the issues myself firsthand," Senator Fielding
said.
Mr Grech is a voluntary patient in a Canberra hospital psychiatric ward where he is
being treated for clinical depression.
Opposition leader in the Senate Nick Minchin has already said he is willing to
negotiate with Labor on the terms of reference.
The government's leader in the Senate, Chris Evans, is expected to move for the
privileges committee inquiry when parliament resumes next week.
Senator Fielding also wants the privileges committee to investigate whether Senator
Conroy is in contempt for emailing scripted questions during evidence in a committee
hearing last October.