AWB: Vaile Joins Club Vague

As the media around Australia this morning details the less than sterling "performance" of Mark Vaile [remember he is the Deputy PM!] at the AWB Cole Inquiry yesterday, David Marr in the SMH this morning succinctly details the scene at the Inquiry yesterday - in what Marr dubbs "Club Vague". Read it here.

Meanwhile the NY Times has also reported on Vaile's travails at the Inquiry yesterday. This is the concluding part of the article:

"Mr. Aquis expressed equal disbelief that Mr. Vaile had never ordered an independent investigation, not even after the United Nations commission that investigated the oil for food scandal, which was headed by Paul A. Volcker, issued its report last October. Mr. Volcker said that AWB had been the largest payer of kickbacks to the regime.

"Did you cause any inquires to be made" after the Volcker report came out? Mr. Aquis asked.

"No," Mr. Vaile said."

Comforting to know that the nation is in the hands of people asleep at the wheel!

UPDATE: Now Tony Abbott has jumped to the defence of Mark Vaile. Amongst other things, according to Abbott, Vaile is a good bloke. Now that it is a compelling reason to defend a Minister who knew nothing, saw nothing, heard nothing and remembers nothing! Read the SMH article here of Abbott's defence.

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