Fed: Reith could be forced to front senate inquiry
Former defence minister PETER REITH and senior federal public servants could be forcedto give evidence before a Senate inquiry into the children overboard affair.
However, Mr REITH has indicated he would be a reluctant witness and would seek an exemptionbecause the inquiry relates to time when he was a minister.
The inquiry has been called to look at why the government did not correct false claimsthat asylum seekers threw children into the sea on October 7.
Australian Democrats leader NATASHA STOTT DESPOJA says the inquiry is likely to subpoenaMr REITH to give evidence.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister JOHN HOWARD says he remains a strong supporter of Mr REITH,who has retired from politics and now works as a defence consultant.
Mr HOWARD says he won't stand in the way of senior public servants who could be calledto give evidence, including his departmental secretary MAX MOORE-WILTON.
Mr HOWARD also says he does not believe the public service deliberately misled anybody.
AAP RTV jg/daw/wz/jh
KEYWORD: BOAT (CANBERRA)
No comments:
Post a Comment