▁the ▁Ira qi ▁government . ▁In ▁exchange ▁for ▁trouble - free ▁dis emb ark ation ▁of ▁whe at ▁purchased ▁under ▁the ▁O il - for - F ood ▁Program me , ▁the ▁Australian ▁Whe at ▁Board ▁paid ▁' tr uck ing ▁charges ' ▁tot alling ▁A $ 3 0 0 ▁million ▁to ▁Al ia . ▁Al ia ▁is ▁a ▁real ▁Jordan ian ▁tr uck ing ▁company , ▁but ▁one ▁with ▁no ▁role ▁in ▁the ▁distribution ▁of ▁Australian ▁whe at ▁in ▁Ira q . ▁Al ia ▁kept ▁a ▁small ▁percentage ▁of ▁' charg es ', ▁and ▁passed ▁the ▁remainder ▁on ▁to ▁S add am ' s ▁government . ▁The ▁A W B ▁was ▁fully ▁compens ated ▁for ▁the ▁charges ▁by ▁increases ▁in ▁the ▁price ▁paid ; ▁the ▁pay ments ▁were ▁approved ▁by ▁the ▁Australian ▁Department ▁of ▁Foreign ▁Affairs ▁and ▁Trade . ▁The ▁Australian ▁Government ▁commission ed ▁judge ▁Ter ence ▁Cole ▁to ▁further ▁investigate ▁whether ▁Australian ▁companies ▁had ▁indeed ▁paid ▁kick back s ▁to ▁the ▁S add am ▁regime . ▁The ▁Cole ▁In qu iry ▁comm enced ▁in ▁December ▁ 2 0 0 5 . ▁ ▁The ▁Cole ▁In qu iry ▁has ▁received ▁testim ony ▁from ▁senior ▁Australian ▁Government ▁officials , ▁including ▁Prime ▁Minister ▁John ▁Howard , ▁Deput y ▁Prime ▁Minister ▁Mark ▁Va ile , ▁Foreign ▁Minister ▁Alexander ▁Down er ▁and ▁various ▁officials ▁from ▁the ▁Department ▁of ▁Foreign ▁Affairs ▁and ▁Trade . ▁During ▁the ▁course ▁of ▁the ▁inqu iry ▁numerous ▁A W B ▁officials ▁have ▁res igned , ▁including ▁man aging ▁director ▁Andrew ▁Lind berg