Trevor Flugge
Encyclopedia
Trevor James Flugge, born 1 February 1947, is an Australia
n farmer and businessman.
He is best known as an official of the Australian Wheat Board (AWB). He joined the board in 1984, was chair of AWB in 1995-2002, and was present at meetings in Iraq
which were linked to the Oil-for-Food scandal, and an inquiry by the United Nations
.
, and became a farmer in the Katanning
area.
In 1987, he was an unsuccessful National Party
candidate for the seat of O'Connor
(against Wilson Tuckey
) at the Australian election that year.
Flugge has also served as chair of the Australian Wheat Growers Association, and as a board member of the major diversified company Wesfarmers
later that year, with AWB chairman Andrew Lindberg
, to rescue an AWB wheat export deal with Saddam Hussein
's regime.
There were later accusations that AWB had paid bribes to secure the export contract. AWB officials agreed to pay $2 million to the Iraqi regime, which would then allow wheat exports to resume. This payment was made by inflating the price of wheat contracts administered by the United Nations
Oil-for-Food Program.
Following the 2003 invasion
and overthrow of the Hussein regime, Flugge was made a senior adviser to the Iraqi agriculture department.
After the bribery became public in 2005, Flugge denied to the UN's Volker inquiry
that he knew about AWB's payments to the Hussein regime. Flugge was also called before an Australian government investigation in 2005, the Cole inquiry
. When giving evidence to the latter inquiry, Flugge frequently claimed to have no knowledge of matters discussed at meetings he attended, due to hearing loss.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n farmer and businessman.
He is best known as an official of the Australian Wheat Board (AWB). He joined the board in 1984, was chair of AWB in 1995-2002, and was present at meetings in Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
which were linked to the Oil-for-Food scandal, and an inquiry by the United Nations
Paul Volcker Committee
The Paul Volcker Committee was formed to investigate alleged corruption and fraud in the United Nations Oil-for-Food Programme in Iraq....
.
Background
Flugge was educated at Aquinas College, PerthAquinas College, Perth
Aquinas College is a Catholic independent, day and boarding school for boys, located in Salter Point, Western Australia. Its sister school is Santa Maria Ladies College located in Attadale...
, and became a farmer in the Katanning
Katanning, Western Australia
Katanning is a town located 277 km south east of Perth, Western Australia on the Great Southern Highway. At the 2006 census, Katanning had a population of 3,808.-History:...
area.
In 1987, he was an unsuccessful National Party
National Party of Australia
The National Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Traditionally representing graziers, farmers and rural voters generally, it began as the The Country Party, but adopted the name The National Country Party in 1975, changed to The National Party of Australia in 1982. The party is...
candidate for the seat of O'Connor
Division of O'Connor
The Division of O'Connor is an Australian Electoral Division in the state of Western Australia. It is one of Western Australia's three rural seats....
(against Wilson Tuckey
Wilson Tuckey
Charles Wilson Tuckey , a former Australian federal politician, was a Member of the Australian House of Representatives representing the seat of O'Connor in Western Australia for the Liberal Party from 1980 until 2010.-Biography:...
) at the Australian election that year.
Flugge has also served as chair of the Australian Wheat Growers Association, and as a board member of the major diversified company Wesfarmers
Wesfarmers
Wesfarmers Limited is one of Australia’s largest public companies and one of Australia's largest retailers. Its headquarters are in Perth, Western Australia....
Oil-for-Food scandal & the Cole Inquiry
Trevor Flugge was chair of AWB until March 2002, when he was voted off the board by A-class shareholders (wheat growers). He was appointed a consultant to AWB after the vote and travelled to BaghdadBaghdad
Baghdad is the capital of Iraq, as well as the coterminous Baghdad Governorate. The population of Baghdad in 2011 is approximately 7,216,040...
later that year, with AWB chairman Andrew Lindberg
Andrew Lindberg
Andrew Lindberg B.Sc., B.Comm., MBA, FAICD is an Australian businessman....
, to rescue an AWB wheat export deal with Saddam Hussein
Saddam Hussein
Saddam Hussein Abd al-Majid al-Tikriti was the fifth President of Iraq, serving in this capacity from 16 July 1979 until 9 April 2003...
's regime.
There were later accusations that AWB had paid bribes to secure the export contract. AWB officials agreed to pay $2 million to the Iraqi regime, which would then allow wheat exports to resume. This payment was made by inflating the price of wheat contracts administered by the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
Oil-for-Food Program.
Following the 2003 invasion
2003 invasion of Iraq
The 2003 invasion of Iraq , was the start of the conflict known as the Iraq War, or Operation Iraqi Freedom, in which a combined force of troops from the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia and Poland invaded Iraq and toppled the regime of Saddam Hussein in 21 days of major combat operations...
and overthrow of the Hussein regime, Flugge was made a senior adviser to the Iraqi agriculture department.
After the bribery became public in 2005, Flugge denied to the UN's Volker inquiry
Paul Volcker Committee
The Paul Volcker Committee was formed to investigate alleged corruption and fraud in the United Nations Oil-for-Food Programme in Iraq....
that he knew about AWB's payments to the Hussein regime. Flugge was also called before an Australian government investigation in 2005, the Cole inquiry
Cole Inquiry
The Cole Inquiry, formally the Inquiry into certain Australian companies in relation to the UN Oil-For-Food Programme was a Royal Commission set up by the Government of Australia in November 2005...
. When giving evidence to the latter inquiry, Flugge frequently claimed to have no knowledge of matters discussed at meetings he attended, due to hearing loss.