Fed: Govt needs to unite behind new wheat export plan: Rudd

AAP General News (Australia)
04-10-2007
Fed: Govt needs to unite behind new wheat export plan: Rudd

SYDNEY, April 10 AAP - The federal government needs to unite behind a new plan for
the future of Australia's wheat exports, Opposition Leader Kevin Rudd says.

Prime Minister John Howard is meeting backbenchers today to discuss reforming Australia's
single-desk system of wheat marketing following the AWB kickbacks scandal.

The meeting will precede a cabinet decision on whether to retain the single-desk system
of wheat marketing, held by AWB's international arm.

But some members of the government's Liberal-Nationals coalition are split over whether
the single desk should remain.

Mr Rudd said it was critical the government was united behind whatever plan was put
in place to sell Australia's future wheat crops overseas.

"We have a federal coalition split within the National party and within the Liberal
party on the future of the single desk," he told reporters.

"I think it's time the federal government spoke with one voice on the future of Australia's
hard working wheat farmers.

"At present we have a rolling three-ring circus from the government on the future of
our international marketing arrangements for the Australian wheat farmers."

AWB was disgraced last year after the Cole report found it breached UN sanctions by
paying $290 million in kickbacks to Saddam Hussein's regime, in exchange for access to
Iraqi wheat markets.

Parliament passed legislation in December stripping AWB of its veto power over wheat
exports, in a bid to end an impasse with West Australian growers who were refusing to
deal with the company because of the huge liabilities it faced over the Iraq kickbacks
scandal.

AAP bt/was/lh/de

KEYWORD: AWB RUDD

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