PM’s car trouble more than just a minor bingle

phil says:

08:19pm | 19/06/09

hang on if we are going to talk about half truths why has the reporter of this story not told the full story did grech not say afterwards that he may have been mistaken and that the pm office may not have contacted him or does this page only reports what it wants to hear and i belive this is a little thing called hear say but hay you proberly wont print this

iansand says:

08:45pm | 19/06/09

Since Watergate it has been blindingly apparent to the meagrest intelligence that it is not the act that will bite you - it is the cover up.  When, oh when, will our pathetic politicians learn this simple lesson?

Aikon says:

08:46pm | 19/06/09

Do the right thing Mr Rudd and Mr Swan…...resign immediately.

Carol says:

09:01pm | 19/06/09

Oh! Gosh!  Watergate revisited. This needs the AFP to investigate through their data forensic team.

Lucy says:

09:02pm | 19/06/09

It’s early days. The Watergate story broke before Nixon was reelected in a landslide that only Reagan was able to replicate.

It took almost two years for the coverup to unravel.

I am always worried that things are rarely as they seem.

Jane says:

09:31pm | 19/06/09

One word for you KRudd - LIAR!!
I bet no record of the email can be found…NOW.
Poor Grech had no reason to lie….and clearly seemed rattled and intimidated as his answer was attempted to be covered up…but he had to tell the truth.
He will be made the scapegoat in this…but we all know KRuddco are GUILTY as sin.
Don’t expect GG installee and ALP maaaaaaaaaaaaaate Bryce to do ‘a Kerr’. She is ‘Kerr insurance’ for KRuddco….that was her role from the start.

Richard Lennon says:

09:36pm | 19/06/09

I love the fact that Mr Rudd and a used car salesman are best mates! Like attracts like

Scott says:

09:57pm | 19/06/09

Will be funny if Rudd resigns over this. Especially given Howard survived the AWB scandal.

Greg says:

10:05pm | 19/06/09

Kevin Resign 09
YE!!!

Manny T says:

10:05pm | 19/06/09

As a former long term ALP member, I couldnt care less for any of them, either side of politics. Its common practice. Remember the money to payout employee entitlements for John Howards brother’s failed company when other poor sods working elsewhere were left with nothing but the shirt on their backs? Not even a whimper by the media, spineless bunch of sycophants.  Watch this space for dirt and innuendo on Malcolm Turnbull’s previous life as a merchant banker and director.

Tom says:

10:06pm | 19/06/09

So it seems that Turnbull is clutching at straws that have fallen through his hands in an effort to remove a far better opponent. He now looks like a fool wasting numerous hours of parliamentary time flogging a dead horse with NO EVIDENCE and NO WITNESSES that can testify they are sure of events . This will surely end Turnbulls career as opposition leader as many Liberals and supporters would like in the hope that they re-build themselves in a manner that will see them returned to office. It is best for both Party’s and more importantly the Australian people that real issues are discussed in parliament rather than hearsay. I would hope that my comment get published as this new site would be useless and quickly become scarce of users if moderators inhibited various opinions.

John Walton says:

10:36pm | 19/06/09

Did not John Howard mislead the Australia Public over the Children Overboard Affair? YES,
Did he resign, (or even acknowledge he lied) ? NO
All politicians lie and are never held accountable, but to suggest the PM will resign over this is lunacy

Shelley says:

11:03pm | 19/06/09

Get those shredders going fellas. Wipe those hard drives.

I pity Godwin Grech. The poor sod at the inquiry had no option other than tell the truth. Our PM and Treasurer put him in this position.

The bully boys(Rudd has form here) brow beating the little Aussie Battler.

thugs

Lucy says:

11:08pm | 19/06/09

I am always amazed (not really) when defenders of a particular side use attack as their form of defence. It only occurs when they are unable to actually defend the position of their own side.

Anyone who attacks the former Government without, at the same time, mounting a defence of the current Government, doesn’t deserve to be listened to.

Debating 101 : you can’t stand up and attack your opponents without advancing your own case. You’ll lose.

the Truth says:

11:34pm | 19/06/09

There is definitely something not right with all this and the efforts by Rudd in calling a late press conference only raise my suspicions more.  This is the most interesting thing to have happened since Rudd was elected.

4leaf says:

11:35pm | 19/06/09

What an absolute beat-up.  For starters it now seems likely the email that News Limited’s article was based on was never actually sighted by the journalist concerned and that it was a fake.  Those of us in South Australia will be feeling a sense of deja vu, with the SA Libs Leader on the verge of being ousted after falling for similar fake documents that supposedly implicated the Labor Premier in scandal.  As for the supposedly startling comments of Mr Grech, even the most cursory reading of them shows all he said was that he may or may not have received such an email.  So once all of News Limited’s smoke and mirrors is stripped away what exactly are we left with?  A rumor at best.  What a sparkling example of trash journalism.

marce says:

11:47pm | 19/06/09

How absurdly over the top. Resign over this? Because one public servant *thinks* he remembers a short email? Here is Grech’s statement: “My recollection may be totally false, but my recollection - and that’s a big qualification - but my recollection is that there was a short email from the PMO [...] but I don’t have the email”. And suddenly it’s Watergate? Have you all gone mad? Watergate involved a President authorising A BREAK IN to the opposition’s campaign headquarters and an elaborate cover up.

On the other hand, This is, at the highest, if it ever existed, a short email that CAME TO NOTHING, because (let’s not forget): the dealer didn’t even GET a loan from OzCar or Ford Finance!

Sandra says:

12:32am | 20/06/09

Two comments. One supporting each side of situation.

Firstly, the CEO of Ford Credit said in the same Senate hearing that in his meeting wtih Godwin Grech in February 2009 that Mr. Grech said there was a relationship between the PM and John Grant and that this relationship was the reason there was a special request for Ford to help.  So clearly Grech got that direction or impression from somewhere when he said this in the meeting with Ford that took place in 4+ months ago. 

On the other side, the emails from Wayne Swan’s office tabled at the Senate hearing today show that communication from Swan’s office to Grech was from someone named Andrew THOMAS.  The accusation from Steve Lewis and Turnbull is that an email was sent to Grech by Rudd staffer Andrew CHARLTON.  Is it just possible that Turnbull and Lewis’ information somehow mixes up the Andrews? And Grech has been under so much pressure (and hounded by Lewis) that he was lead to be believe it was possible there was an email from Andrew Charlton early in the piece so he couched his testimony today basically by saying he wasn’t sure.  Just a theory. 

Personally, I think that no implicating email will be found but Swan will be forced to step down for his role in the “affair”.  And I wonder if Rudd really thinks that is such a bad outcome?

John Baker says:

12:34am | 20/06/09

David Penberthy’s article is riddled with erraneous assumptions, numerous half truths (at best) and extremely exaggerated conclusions.  For example, can the claim ‘... that the car dealer was offered financial support by Ford at the very time the car giant was desperately trying to secure a $550 million Government “loan”...’ be substantiated.  In fact I would suggest that the contrary was clear from today’s evidence.  Now can this and other reporter’s explain why no airing has been given to Turnbull’s involvement in the severe damage caused to the environment in the Solomon Islands?

DJW says:

01:57am | 20/06/09

Didn’t vote for him, so I don’t care if this forces him to vacate the Leadership, however I’m surprise at the banality of it and feel it’s not really very important on the surface, although I guess it’s all about the principle. Anyway it could all be some kind of misunderstanding and time will tell. Gillard would be a better leader anyway despite her lefty past so it won’t necessarily weaken the Labor party. I’m a conservative but I’ve lost interest in the current version of the Liberals so I just watch at a distance, Rudd seems supernaturally bullet proof so I don’t believe this is going to be the end of him. Unfortunately.

John says:

02:17am | 20/06/09

julia gillard must be somewhat happy

Marilyn Shepherd says:

03:42am | 20/06/09

Good lord David, what tripe.  Iraq invasion, Manildra scams, children overboard, Woomera and Villawood torture chambers, deporting Australian citizens and covering it up for 4 years, allowing Hicks and Habib to be tortured for years, setting up Dr Haneef, wasting $20 billion on non-existent terrorism, $3 billion locking up innocent people.

AWB, WMD - a whole alphabet soup of lies that have caused hundreds of thousands of deaths, made 4.7 million refugees from Iraq alone, destroyed two countries and damaged thousands of young Americans for life - make that nearly half a million of them.

Get over it.  Someone should have talked to John Grant before today because the whole thing is stupid.

MP’s advocate for their constituents every day of the year, it is their bloody job.

Duggy says:

07:00am | 20/06/09

It al just reminds me of my old saying ‘If you practice to deceive, lie, lie and lie again’.  You can quote me on that.

jono says:

08:21am | 20/06/09

If this was a game of chess Malcome has just checked Kev by taking out one of his pawns. Check mate is when John Faulker knocks on Kevins door.

Jack says:

08:41am | 20/06/09

Wonder if Mr Rudd will come out with his famous “Sorry about that” after this? And what will he say sorry about next????? I’ll back it in that’s all we are going to hear from this learning PM - and he’s making mistakes with OUR money! What is Australia on? We as a country voted for a man we knew little about, who had not spent a lot of time in parliament and in opposition made mistakes! As opposition leader he could be forgiven - can we as PM forgive him AGAIN?

Domenic Dahl says:

09:10am | 20/06/09

Well it looks like K-Rudd had Lied to Parliment under oath which is the point of this matter. If this is proven TRUE he should be kicked out of office together with Wayne Swan. The old saying “A leopard never changes it spots” is true in politics and if they both stay how do we know this will never happen again.

deb says:

09:33am | 20/06/09

This cannot be just swept under the carpet by the auditor general,did Rudd appoint him if so nothing will happen, we all know what Kevin Rudd is like at hiding things in inquiries and getting the result he wants..Is this democracy..??

Peter Hughes says:

09:36am | 20/06/09

Everything hangs on the alleged email Grech says he thinks he recallls but is not sure. If no-one can produce this email there is simply no story. Nothing can be proved either way & the whole thing will be written off as a hoax

As a Public Servant myself I know the following-

1) if you receive emails like Grech alleges from the PM’s office you don’t lose them. You print several copies immediately & take it straight to the DG’‘s office. You also forward on that email to all your superiors. Grech didn’t do any of that & then lost the email - allegedly.

2) Political advisers in Ministers offices are not stupid enough to send emails to anyone like the one alleged by Grech.

3) Grech is a VERY strange dude. Not being sure there was an email at all is bizarre.

iansand says:

09:50am | 20/06/09

I thought one of the jobs of a local member was to intercede with the bureaucracy on behalf of constituents?  The only federal member who has not done this on behalf of organisations of which I am a member, when asked, is Tony Abbott.  I understand that politicians and journalists speak a different dialect of English, but sending an email that does nothing more than asking to check and follow up whether a constituent qualifies for a government programme strikes me as perfectly innocuous.

Passepartout says:

10:01am | 20/06/09

Ohhh great so you are finally starting to wake up to what Labor pollies are really like! The unpleasant reality is that in Australia we are totally surrounded by truth-evading, economic incompetents.

The ‘Ute’opia is starting to take on the appearance of the ‘Brute’opia, how very prescient of Kevin 7-11. what a self-fulfilling prophecy

Steve says:

10:11am | 20/06/09

Your comment:

Out of curiosity, how did Steve Lewis from News Limited found out about the e-mail to Grech from the Treasury Office? This smells of a complete journalistic fabrication. If the e-mail did exist, I would be more worried of the ease of leakage of ministerial e-mails.
Last I’ve heard, there is a global finincial crisis the government has to deal with. If Malcolm Turnbull cannot offer constructive solutions to the crisis but persists in this idiotic witch hunt, then I for one will not be voting for him in the next election.

KR says:

10:28am | 20/06/09

I expected more from The Punch- this is sensationalist garbage.  Not a news story.

JIm says:

10:33am | 20/06/09

Hasn’t the country got enough problems already without wasting time on a stupid issue like this one?

Niall Cook says:

10:33am | 20/06/09

If the opposition have anything, Eric Abetz would have/should have produced it yesterday afternoon during the Senate Committee Inquiry. Thus far, all we’ve seen is journalistic hyperbole and innuendo, together with a dedicated campaign of attack against public servants purpose designed to personally destroy unrelated reputations. Journalist, Lewis has a history of being malleable under the heat of the political kitchen. Let’s see the real evidence, if it does exist.

Allan L says:

11:08am | 20/06/09

The issue is did Rudd and Swan misled parliament, not the fact that Rudd helped a constituent in trouble. Mr Grech said in his testimony that the email did not affect his response since the Treasurers office had also inquired into Mr Grants problems.

(Senator Cameron tabled those emails from the treasuer’s office so they do exist).

Swan has been shown that he misled parliament.

The real damage is that public servants have been put into a position of NOT being able to give frank and fearless evidence to a senate hearing.

Will the public service forgive a PM that hangs them out to dry?

Cathy Morris says:

11:29am | 20/06/09

Swan and Rudd are from the dastardly dysfunctional Queensland Labor Party much like Melbourne’s Moran family steeped in a pattern of self-destructive behaviour. Rudd’s promotion to PM dragged his past onto the national stage to hopefully unravel for the sake of democracy. Neither party is innocent of using office for personal benefit but Qld Labor is particularly good at it. The down side are their victims - the Godwin Grech’s who turn up for an honest day’s work to find they’ve been dancing with the devil.

Rob says:

11:49am | 20/06/09

Watching him live, I felt very sorry for Godwin Grech. I also wondered whether the “Andrews” were mixed up in his recollection until I witnessed the extraordinary efforts of his boss and the Chair to prevent him answering the vital question. Do public servants have their own laptops that are out of the Government system? There is clear evidence( from Ford Credit’s man)  that Grech knew Grant was associated with Rudd. How did he come by that knowledge?  From Andrew Thomas certainly but from Andrew Charlton before that? He said he thought so but the poor man had to hedge his response so much because of the pressure he was under.

Murf Oscar says:

11:53am | 20/06/09

Hi Sandra @ June 19, 11.32pm

Enjoyed reading your analysis. Believe the address detail in the email header would point to the Andrew in question.

Len says:

11:57am | 20/06/09

I feel for Grech. If he lied he will be sacked. If he has told the truth he will be dispensed fortwith by the powers to be.
Grech’s superior will have a lot to answer for if this happens as Grech was supressed from replying to all questions put to him by the committee.
God help GODwin!

Warren says:

11:59am | 20/06/09

This is a beat up and I don’t even like Rudd. I believe Rudd and his mates should all go, but at the next election.

Caroline says:

12:07pm | 20/06/09

I watched the whole enquiry on tele - it was really amazing how the President (ALP) and Mr. Cameron, and the other Treasury official (Mr. Grech’s boss)  tried to stop Mr. Grech from answering the question about the email from Rudd’s office, knowing that the man is honest and would not lie under oath.  I would not be surprised if he did keep a copy of that email somewhere and I really hope he did, for his own sake.  The bullying tactics of the ALP are really showing up here.  Also, with shredding of documents and attempted avoidance of paying stamp duty on a house he bought, and also attending topless bars in New York - first saying he was too drunk to remember and then saying he only had one drink there - among other things - we should always be vary wary of Mr. Rudd’s version of the Truth.

Dazza says:

12:57pm | 20/06/09

Why is it the Labor die hards always point to the other party’s past? Are they stating then that Labor is just as good as the Liberals then??? Think about whether you want what happened in the past (regardless of party) to continue happening. At the end of the day they represent the people of Australia in the highest political office of the country. The people expect and deserve the truth no matter how hard it is or what the personal/party ramifications may be. If Rudd or Swan arefound to have lied - either at the beginning or to cover-up - they must resign from the office they were entrustedto by the people. Note not finding an email does not mean it never existedand shame on Labor and the senior treasury representative for their attempt to avoid an examination of the truth - who’s interest were they representing? I think not the people of Australia’s interest.

Jason Mc says:

12:57pm | 20/06/09

Forgetting about this scandal - its time for Rudd to go anyway. The man is still trying to run a government as if it is in election mode. He is only worried about popularity and points. Not policy substance.

Even today - he talks of keeping all heads of the public service when he was elected , and how the Libs bulleted 6 or so when they came to power.

Rudd doesn’t get that we want the country led NOW - not compared with 1 year, 3 years or 12 years ago and what the previous government did. They were already voted out Kevin !!  Make your own contribution.

Pwnstar says:

01:05pm | 20/06/09

Dazza, “not finding an email does not mean it never existed,” good enough in any courtroom and good enough for me. This is nothing more than a media beat up i just wonder which toes Rudd has stepped on to cop the limelight. Grech could easily have been confused between the two Andrews, all i see here are Liberal diehards clutching at a splinter whilst the logs still in their own eye.

james says:

01:04pm | 20/06/09

Jane, you are a liar. The Liberals have fabricated evidence and Turnbull has intimidated a witness. He will be going to jail. These are crimes.
Thanks for playing though.

Richard Ure says:

01:08pm | 20/06/09

Iansand: Your second comment is closer to the mark. As to the first, it’s not the cover up that gets you. It’s the beatup: which this whole “affair” is. But it makes for newspaper sales on a rainy weekend.
With everyone under the sun apparently being copied with the offending email, do senior public servants get any of their own work done? Or is there massive duplication of effort in the public service?

Dazza says:

01:40pm | 20/06/09

Pwnstar, well based on your analysis then at least Swan should resign. Thanks for your support. And by the way I am a Labor supporter but from the right. I am also old enough to know the damage that the left socialist causedlast time they had they reigns - it was a long time in the wilderness for the party and one we wish not to have repeated. BUT at the end of the day I am a passionate Australian who believes in the political system we have and that those who represent us should represent US.

Andy says:

01:41pm | 20/06/09

I understand we had all grown tired of John Howard and voted him out, but what have we done!!!  Self important Rudd, is in the job. What a joke!
If it is correct that they mislead parliment (Swan and Rudd) they have to go! They have become so confident and cocky, they think they are untouchable, because we silly voters thought it was time for a change. Stop waffling on Rudd and tell the truth. Even if it is too late!

Shelley says:

01:44pm | 20/06/09

OT for a sec but relevant.

Has anything been heard from the investigation into the leaked Bush-Rudd phone call published in The Australian?

The PM does have form in the fib, bluff, bluster and cover up department. And in burying all under an official investigation.

Is anyone keeping track of the results of these investigations?

Do they even end up happening?

What happened with that boat of illegals blowing up? I haven heard anything.

The investigation & report for this latest had better happen quicker than QLD Shreddergate.

Dazza says:

01:47pm | 20/06/09

james, actually Jane is right Rudd has been proven to be a liar. Try googling Rudd, rescheduling, lied, ANZAC dawn service and sunrise. He was adament then that he did not ask for the service to be rescheduled but later unrefutable email evidence was presented that proved he did lie. Why should he now not do what he did back then? Also james you logic then suggests that Swan should be jailed for the senate did show he lied to parliament - do you still stand by your statement or will you try to deflect to some other issue (known as spin by any other measure)

Pwnstar says:

02:02pm | 20/06/09

nice to see you draw your onw conclusions Dazza, you have my support on none of your claims thanks. I know what the Labor right have done too mate and thanks but no thanks.

Dazza says:

03:06pm | 20/06/09

Pwnstar, good to see the true colours of your socialism shining through. I applaud you for your convictions. Whilst Grech may be confused about which Andrew (not sure of the other you refer to) he did acknowledge representation from the PMO and Swann’s office. This flies in the face of Rudd’s adament statement that it did not (note he did not say he did not know but instead that IT DID NOT)

Cambo says:

03:45pm | 20/06/09

I watched Godwin Grech’s grilling and it was interesting to hear him say that despite intensive searching, there was no trace of “it.” Surely, if he had not seen an email from the PMO, he would have said the search could not find “one.” While Rudd and Swan may deny the veracity of the email in the Telegraph’s possession, it’s clear that in the court of public opinion, they have been found guilty.

Sean says:

04:09pm | 20/06/09

Malcolm should have learnt from his SA counter-part, Martin Hamilton-Smith, who with the help of News Ltd jumped on some documents that claimed to prove wrong doing by the SA Labor government. The documents were bogus MHS ended up with egg on his face, is under pressure to resign thge leadership and is being sued by 2 people he named as being involved.

Paul says:

04:21pm | 20/06/09

I think this is stupid and Steve Lewis, just like Malcolm Turnbull, should refrain from their bully tactics when trying to carry out a smear campaign. Steve Lewis harrased Grech to no end and he should be charged for that. Now that it has surfaced the ‘email’ might be a hoax, ghost or whatever fake it is, both Steve Lewis and Malcolm Turnbull MUST resign immediately or face forgery , wrongful accusation and libel charges.
I wonder why the Daily Telegraph hasn’t mentioned anywhere that the email , at least,  might be a fake. Are we seeing the fair and balanced report similar to the likes Bill O’Riley, Hannity, Limbaugh and Glenn Beck taking root in Australia? That would be the saddest day of them all thanks to the likes of Steve Lewis and Malcolm Turnbull

Don Martin says:

05:08pm | 20/06/09

I love the way we can’t wait to sink the boot in, no matter how flimsy or dubious the evidence

Paul says:

05:17pm | 20/06/09

EMAILGATE!!!! Update your story boss - looks like yr side screwed this one!

Geoffrey of Paddington says:

05:49pm | 20/06/09

When Gough Whitlam made Rex Connor one of his ministers resign because he had lied to the Parliament I was astonished. I thought telling lies was part of the job description for a politician. Am I missing something here?

Peter says:

06:00pm | 20/06/09

It is important the public get behind the treasury official who has shown the courage and decency to tell the basic truth although he is not entirely clear if the PM was involved although Swann was definitely involved. It shows what sort of character Rudd really is gives his dirty work to others to implement.  Della Bosca and Neal got away with it and the employees were made to feel like criminals. Rudd will spin his out this one like he usually does.

John Holland says:

06:16pm | 20/06/09

ADIOS KEV!

Gus Angus says:

06:23pm | 20/06/09

As usual the Krudd loving media move straight into protection mode for their dear leader. All KRudd and Swan do is light scrub fires to deflect attention from their total ineptness, usually a move the media take up in preference to telling the Australian public the truth. Probably why Roy Morgan research puts journalists and car salesmen at the top of the least trusted list in all professions. At the minimum Swan lied and should resign.

Jane says:

08:31pm | 20/06/09

Shades of KRudd’s involvement in the Heiner shreddergate affair.
Despite any deleted email…2 people have co-relating versions of the ‘special’ deal for Grant. Grech and Ford credit managing director Greg Cohen.
“Mr Cohen told the inquiry that during a February meeting with Godwin Grech - the Treasury official running the OzCar scheme - Mr Grant was the only dealer “substantially” discussed.”
Are Grech and Cohen ALSO fake???? Don’t think so. Are the home faxes on this issue to Swan also fake? Again, don’t think so.
Slippery KRudd expects to evade the noose, as usual..and he was already priming and paving for Swan to take a possible fall and the focus for any blame ( should it come to pass) last night in his ‘speech’.
Both KRudd and Swan are guilty as sin and only a deluded rusted on Labor apologist would deny that the fact of that is blatantly obvious.
Krudd is pure LIAR personified…
Adios Amigos

Tim says:

10:12pm | 20/06/09

David, if the email proves correct Rudd should resign and if false you should resign. Deal?

Mark says:

10:17pm | 20/06/09

hahaha, so Kev has now ordered an AFP response after his PMC staff have ‘investigated’ the claims? I wonder what PMC would have done if they found evidence, since Rudd is technically the boss??.. maybe hit the delete key? Ford and Grech have no reason to lie! This is so dodgy. Going by the transscripts too, Turnbull never threatened anyone. Funny that Krudd’s response was to redirect blame and get explosively abusive and angry. After all these little stories about Krudd’s attitude, it’s good to see the fake facade finally starting to cave in.

Julie Coker-Godson says:

10:55pm | 20/06/09

I feel very sorry for Godwin Grech.  I used to work in the Senate and as they say in the classics:“I know where they bury their dead”.  It is to be hoped that this man will not lose his chosen career/employment because of the awful position that he has been placed in.  As for the hearing itself on Friday, from what I’ve heard it was a disgraceful performance and a flagrant breach of democratic process and free speech.  In a criminal/civil court such pressure brought to bear on a witness would have resulted in the criminal charge of intimidation of a witness.  How DO these people get away with it?  Surely it cannot be just because they are politicians.  The whole scenario just beggars belief.  I don’t know what else to say, except that I’m disgusted.

joe2 says:

11:20pm | 20/06/09

The newspaper that gave us the nude Pauline Hanson photos is looking just as lame and naked as it did then, though this time, with a drawer full of dodgy emails.

Jane says:

12:43pm | 21/06/09

Too funny.
Look at all the Rudd/ALP apologists out today, instructed to smother ‘dissent’ in damage control in the blogs and comments sections of news sites….as they do. It’s classic ALP modis operandum.
The PMO ‘email’ is not the ‘be all and end all’ of this as Rudd and ALP apologists hope. There are enough emails and faxes and transcripts already legitimised that show what has transpired ..
Grech and Cohen are and were not ‘fake’...the faxes directed to Swan’s home fax are not ‘fake’.

The only ‘evidence’ anyone needed to see was poor tortured Grech telling the truth and the obsfucation of the ALP minders around him trying to pervert the course and intimidate him.
That says it all for most Australians.

Swan will be and is the ‘fall guy’...one instead of two is collateral damage. Rudd thinks turning it back on Turnbull will divert attention and save him. That ploy from him is now too transparent to work as it usually does.. The Australian public are the ultimate judge. This is one lie and one cover up too many for Rudd and Swan. Game over either way for Kruddco in general.

Craig says:

02:49pm | 21/06/09

Thanks for the perspective Marilyn Shepherd - and to think I’d nearly forgotten why I was so damn angry through Howard’s years..

AB says:

10:47am | 22/06/09

I find it almost typical that a lot of people are calling for Mr. Rudd to resign yet there is no proof he did anything wrong. That’s the Australian way, right? Blame others even without proof until proven wrong.

You people were way worse under the Howard government, so stop your nitpicking. Honestly, Kevin Rudd may not be perfect, but he’s not as bad as Howard.

Btw, thanks for the $900 Kev, I appreciate it.

Mark says:

04:38pm | 22/06/09

I wonder who asked Wayne Swan to get Treasury too look after the special constituent John Grant.

The email argument is just a smoke screen by the Labor party. Kevin has done no good but doesn’t have the guts to admit it. I figure the Liberals think if Julia Gillard is Prime Minister at the next election they might have a better chance.

Poor Godwin Grech he was very nervous because he knew the sad truth and it’s implications for Kevin and Wayne.

Benny says:

10:35pm | 24/06/09

No doubt there have always been leaks, but its no wonder that public servants are starting to jack up even more.  Those with any integrity will have been appalled at the performance of some of their “seniors”.  There has been enormous pressure put upon the likes of John Henry (Head of Treasury) to support the lame-brain ideas of the Rudd Govt. 

Then we have the AFP acting like performing seals so that the news of the fake email is given to the Labor’s mouthpiece, the ABC, on Monday morning.  This was synchronized with the search of Grech’s house according to the directions of the political ring-master.

You Labor supporters might think this is all wonderful.

But the cynical use of the Public Service to bolster, and kow-tow to, its political masters (rather than provide an independent opinion) will result in costly incorrect decisions and ever more corruption.

alan says:

10:53am | 11/07/09

I refer to a book titled ‘What’s Wrong With the Liberal Party’ by Greg Barnes.When you ‘ve got a poisonous godbotherer right wing getting into dirty tricks without even religous restraint, there’s something WRONG!

Singles Online says:

07:06am | 30/03/10

Dog Guest,purpose state west combine onto next price fish welfare project court he whether dead according yes audience space document something island provided largely function world discussion weather prefer drug little should means far totally finding index box under climb again figure file transfer derive that instrument democratic milk fashion chairman complete language raise tea pull about commercial far final draw equipment tiny project back there propose significance finger move flower bone edge pull forest colleague dog extend will off account employee merely street no belief picture effective leading major yeah interview care hence