A Royal Commission is needed to investigate the Grant affairs

Comments on Glenn Milne “Ethics overboard in government attacks”, 22/06/2009, http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,25667723-7583,00.html

The Rudd government's ethic creditability has been in serious doubt at least and should be openly questioned. The Rudd politically motivated police inquiry is not good enough. There should be a Royal Commission inquiry into the whole OZ Cars and the Grant affairs.

I think John Stone’s view about what the Treasury head should have done should also be included in a Royal Commission inquiry. Why were senior bureaucratic figures like the Treasury head kept silent and done nothing in the process when they were sent emails clearly indicating some impropriety for public servants’ behaviour?

This affair also reminds about Treasury earlier economic forecast underpinning the Rudd / Swan government 2009-10 budget and its projected trajectory for the budget to return to surplus over the next few years. Henry said there was no political interference in the Treasury advice. This car financing affairs seems to suggest otherwise.

There are questions for both the government ministers and senior bureaucratic figures to answer. We need clean government and fearlessly independent public services. We can’t afford to have public services being used politically by the government for its own advantage.

It is important, imperative and urgent for Rudd to call for a Royal Commission inquiry to clear the whole mess. Rudd must do that and do it quickly.