Stunt at AWB probe falls flat
February 08, 2006
A COMEDY team's stunt outside the inquiry into wheat exporter AWB has fallen flat, with the commission referring the incident to police and a witness asking for protection.
A crew from the ABC's satirical news program, The Chaser, confronted AWB executive Charles Stott outside the building about 1pm (AEDT) today, presenting him with a cheque made out to former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein and asking him to sign it.
Unaware that the crew were from The Chaser, Mr Stott's lawyer Paul Lacava SC complained to Commissioner Terence Cole when the hearing resumed after lunch.
"My client was completely shaken by it," Mr Lacava said.
"In 33 years of going to court I thought I'd seen everything." Mr Lacava suggested that "some measure of protection" be given to his client.
"No witness coming before this inquiry should feel intimidated," he told the hearing.
He said the man who confronted Mr Stott was "best described as a person with a cause, probably more accurately described as a complete lunatic".
Mr Lacava said the incident could be in contempt of the commission, but Mr Cole said he would not express an opinion on that suggestion.
Mr Cole said he would arrange for instructing solicitors to provides statements on the incident and refer it to police.
"I will have steps taken ... to retain that film or audio tape so that the matter can be referred to the federal police for investigation," he said.
A short time later, Mr Cole told the inquiry he had learned the crew was from The Chaser and that other television crews present during the incident were aware of the fact.
However, the commissioner, who is investigating hundreds of millions of dollars in kickbacks paid by AWB to Saddam's regime, did not appreciate the joke.
"That does not reduce the seriousness of the matter and I intend to have it further investigated," Mr Cole said.
The inquiry continues.
Source: AAP
