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Australian Government Crest

Report of the Inquiry into certain Australian companies in relation to the UN Oil-for-Food Programme

Volume 1

Contents

Summary, recommendations and background

Prologue

Summary of events regarding AWB xiii

Findings lxxxi

Recommendations. lxxxiii

United Nations resolutions restricting trade with Iraq.. 1

Procedures adopted by the 661 Committee to approve contracts. 11

The Office of the Iraq Programme. 14

Variation to procedures: Security Council Resolution 1284. 14

Revised procedures: Security Council Resolutions 1409 and 1454. 16

Interpretation of Security Council resolutions. 21

Construction of paragraph 3(c) of Resolution 661. 24

UN Office of Legal Affairs advice. 25

The practice of the 661 Committee and the Secretary-General 29

Conclusion: interpretation of Security Council resolutions. 33

UN procedures related to notification and financing of contracts. 35

Contractual review by the United Nations. 51

2 Australian enforcement of United Nations resolutions. 63

The status of United Nations resolutions under Australian law... 63

Implementation of United Nations resolutions in Australian law... 64

The Customs (Prohibited Exports) Regulations 1958. 65

The Banking (Foreign Exchange) Regulations 1959. 70

3 Imposition of inland transportation fees and after-sales-service fees: Iraq documentation 85

Inland transportation fees. 86

The after-sales-service fee. 87

4 United Nations knowledge of breaches of sanctions: 1999 to 2003. 103

The Secretariat's state of knowledge. 104

The 661 Committee's state of knowledge. 114

Conclusion.. 117

5 United Nations investigation into the Oil-for-Food Programme. 123

The expressions 'illicit' and 'kickbacks' 126

The manner of approval of purchasing contracts. 128

Direct financial transactions with the Government of Iraq or Iraqi companies. 129

The Government of Iraq's purchasing structure. 131

Inland transportation costs. 133

Introduction of mandatory transportation charges. 133

Payment mechanisms for internal transportation fees. 135

Distribution of internal transportation fees. 135

The broadening of the kickback scheme. 136

Introduction of after-sales service fees. 136

Expansion of the transportation fee scheme. 137

Payment mechanisms for after-sales service fees. 138

Front companies. 138

Alia for Transportation and General Trade. 139

The final report's findings in relation to AWB.. 140

AWB's response. 150

Alkaloids of Australia Pty Limited.. 150

Rhine Ruhr Pty Limited.. 156

6 The Letters Patent 159

Constitutional validity of the Letters Patent 160

Interpretation of the Letters Patent 161

A commissioner's role: amendment of Letters Patent 165

7 Conduct of the Inquiry: principles and procedures. 171

Independence. 171

Investigations and hearings. 173

Assessment of evidence. 184

Legal professional privilege. 185

Reform of the Royal Commissions Act 1902. 191

Public interest immunity claims. 192

Dissemination of public materials. 194

The requirements of procedural fairness. 194

Notification of adverse evidence. 195

The nature of an adverse finding. 197

Publication of Counsel Assisting's submissions. 198

Costs. 199

Appreciation.. 200

8 AWB's approach to investigation and disclosure. 203

The Canadian complaint: January to March 2000. 204

The US Wheat Associates complaint: June 2003. 206

The UN Independent Inquiry Committee inquiry: 2004 and 2005. 223

This Inquiry: 2005 and 2006. 237

Glossary 251

Shortened forms. 258