PM Rudd accused of missleading Parliament

[southee]

For Gozu

http://www.news.com.au/adelaidenow/stor ... 301,00.htm

lPRIME Minister Kevin Rudd today will face accusations of misleading Parliament for allegedly helping out John Grant, a Queensland car dealer and friend.

The Opposition will raise allegations of a correspondence trail involving the Prime Minister's office and government officials responsible for a $2 billion scheme to help cash-strapped car dealers.

A Senate hearing into the government-backed OZ Car finance scheme will be told Ford Australia's finance arm was asked to help Mr Grant's troubled car dealership – at the same time that it was negotiating a $550 million "loan" with the Government.

Mr Rudd has told Parliament neither he nor his office made representations on Mr Grant'sbehalf.

Senior political staffers have been aware of suspicions that Mr Grant – a neighbour of the Prime Minister's in Brisbane – received special treatment as he tried to rescue his car dealership.

The political advisers have been asking questions about several emails which suggest the Prime Minister was keen to ensure John Grant Motors was considered for attention under the OZ Car scheme – a government fund to provide credit to car dealers during the financial crunch.

Mr Rudd denied as recently as Monday that he or his office made any representations on behalf of Mr Grant to help secure funding under the $2 billion scheme – established last December.

Like many other car dealers, John Grant's dealership ran into difficulty after financier GE threatened to withdraw financial support for the industry.

It is understood Mr Grant approached a number of senior Government figures. The Senate hearing today will pursue allegations of a correspondence trail involving the Prime Minister's office.

At one point, Ford Credit's managing director Greg Cohen – who will appear before today's Senate hearing – was asked to consider providing financial support to Mr Grant.

It is understood the Brisbane car dealer was rung by Ford Credit when he was travelling in New Zealand. At the time, Ford Credit was in negotiations with the Government over accessing the OZ Car scheme.

The financier – which provides support to over 200 Ford dealers around Australia – had been initially excluded from the OZ Car scheme. But in a letter written to Mr Rudd and the Treasurer, Mr Cohen and the chief executive of Ford Australia Marin Burella pleaded with the Government to reconsider – warning the fate of its car dealerships hung in the balance.

Last night, a spokesman for the PM said Mr Rudd stood by his comments to the Parliament.

"Neither I nor my office have ever made any representations on his behalf," Mr Rudd told Parliament on June 4.

"I have not been aware of any representations on his behalf made by anyone in the Government, including the referral, referred to before by the Treasurer's office."

The Coalition has been pursuing Mr Rudd's links with the car dealer. The two men live on the same street in Brisbane and belong to the mysterious 51 Club – which closed down its website several weeks ago after it received public attention.

The Prime Minister has also been forced to defend the use of a 1996 Mazda ute, given to him by the car dealer. Mr Grant refused to respond to numerous phone calls.

But his call for financial assistance from the Rudd Government will dominate today's Senate inquiry into the OZ Car scheme. Senior Treasury officials will be asked to give evidence – potentially placing pressure on the Government's most senior figures to come clean on whether they had acted appropriately.

The inquiry will also pursue Ford Credit.

When senior Government officials went to Melbourne to negotiate access to OZ Car, they also asked whether Ford would consider helping out Mr Grant's dealership. It is understood Ford made contact with Mr Grant and were supplied with financial information from the dealer'saccountant.

However, Mr Grant's financier – GE – eventually came to the party and continued to provide finance for his Queensland business.

[dedja]

[Bully]

hearing rumours aboout that if its true he will have to resign. sucked in if he has to resign and good ridance!!!

[southee]

hearing rumours aboout that if its true he will have to resign. sucked in if he has to resign and good ridance!!!

Watching the news tonight the rumours are quite strong...I can only hope!!!

[Bully]

hearing rumours aboout that if its true he will have to resign. sucked in if he has to resign and good ridance!!!

Watching the news tonight the rumours are quite strong...I can only hope!!!

yeah its a bit hard to tell when they say they cant find emails etc

[Psyber]

hearing rumours aboout that if its true he will have to resign. sucked in if he has to resign and good ridance!!!

Watching the news tonight the rumours are quite strong...I can only hope!!!

NO - we might get Julia unrestrained as a result!

[Cambridge Clarrie]

Would love to see that worm Rudd have the smirk wiped off his face... He's an expert at not practicing what he preaches... i.e.binge drinking - gets smashed in a strip joint to the point he can't remember what he said, did, etc, then has the gall to impose a tax to prevent such irresponsible behaviour by others...

Glad to see The Advertiser didn't forget the fact that it was Rudd the Dudd who was so intent on seeking to expose the 'weapons for wheat cover up'. Khama's a bitch...

[southee]

Would love to see that worm Rudd have the smirk wiped off his face... He's an expert at not practicing what he preaches... i.e.binge drinking - gets smashed in a strip joint to the point he can't remember what he said, did, etc, then has the gall to impose a tax to prevent such irresponsible behaviour by others...

Glad to see The Advertiser didn't forget the fact that it was Rudd the Dudd who was so intent on seeking to expose the 'weapons for wheat cover up'. Khama's a bitch...

Very well said Clarrie.....Karma is a bitch and I am sure with time Rudd the Dudd will be exposed....

[Cambridge Clarrie]

Geez, I hope they find that email... This article suggests the likely outcome if they do... It'll be a tough one for Rudd to weasel out of...



http://blogs.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/malcolmfarr/index.php/dailytelegraph/comments/rudd_to_be_driven_out_by_car_row/

[Gozu]

Looks like the email was a fake, where might have we seen all this before? Poor Turnbull.

[Cambridge Clarrie]

:lol: Looks like the email was a fake, where might have we seen all this before? Poor Turnbull.

You reckon Turnbull should have sought advice from MHS...?

Time will tell. You're right though in so much as you've got to be pretty sure of your info when you're making these type of accusations...

[Gozu]

A going away present from Costello or one of his loyalists perhaps?

[southee]

:lol: Looks like the email was a fake, where might have we seen all this before? Poor Turnbull.

Well Rudd said that...it must be true Gozu

[Gozu]

Well Rudd has said there is no evidence of anything that would contradict his statements (pretty definitive) and then a Government spokesman had this to say; "We believe the email in posession of News Limited to be a fake, the Opposition must immediately rule out any role in the creation, distribution or promotion of this fake email," the spokeman said.

[dedja]

I wonder who's watching the economy whilst all these fun and games are on?

[southee]

Time will tell.........

[Bully]

Well Rudd has said there is no evidence of anything that would contradict his statements (pretty definitive) and then a Government spokesman had this to say; "We believe the email in posession of News Limited to be a fake, the Opposition must immediately rule out any role in the creation, distribution or promotion of this fake email," the spokeman said.

ok but whom believes what a polly says these days?? yes rudd said theres nothing to hide but how do we know hes telling the truth!! he is a polly you know and when do they ever speak the truth mate?

[Gozu]

Like they say in politics never ask a question you don't already know the answer to. The fact that investigations couldn't find any trace of this supposed email and now Rudd has asked the AFP to investigate says to me you could put your house on it that this email is fake.

[Psyber]

Like they say in politics never ask a question you don't already know the answer to. The fact that investigations couldn't find any trace of this supposed email and now Rudd has asked the AFP to investigate says to me you could put your house on it that this email is fake.

I wouldn't put $10 on it.
But I suspect there are rabid supporters on all sides of politics who think creating stuff like this is a legitimate way of shaping public opinion.
Either they affect the reputation of the guy accused, or that of the one who uses it on face value.
Perhaps the only parties with anything to gain are the spin teams acting to ensure growth in their industry, and the political outcome is irrelevant to them.

So, in this case:
Scenario one - a stupid Liberal supporter thinks they are being clever and it backfires?
Scenario two - Labor supporter plants it and Libs take it at face value and fall for it?
Scenario three - it's all true but will be covered up because they all have something to hide?

I hope the Police can track the source.

[Bully]

Like they say in politics never ask a question you don't already know the answer to. The fact that investigations couldn't find any trace of this supposed email and now Rudd has asked the AFP to investigate says to me you could put your house on it that this email is fake.

you could be right there maybe so, but also maybe not, i guess when the feds are involved then the 'real truth' with come out in the wash.

anything can be hidden these days or planted with no trace but when the feds are involved then things will be found im sure