Cooperation with Palmer Inquiry
Letter to the Editor - Sunday Age
20 June 2005
Dear Sir/Madam
If Russell Skelton had bothered to approach the Department of Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs (DIMIA) for comment on his allegations (Palmer exposes 'mindless zealotry’, 19/6/05) we would have corrected his misinformation.
The Department strongly rejects Mr Skelton’s allegations of non-compliance. The Department has cooperated with the inquiry and assisted Mr Palmer with his investigations in every way we could.
Senator Vanstone said on the weekend that she had received repeated assurances from Mr Palmer that he is satisfied with the level of cooperation from DIMIA in the course of his inquiry and Mr Palmer again confirmed this yesterday.
Furthermore, if Mr Skelton had taken the time to check he would have found that on 8 February 2005, DIMIA Secretary Bill Farmer sent a message to each of the Department’s 5000 staff formally directing everyone to cooperate fully with the inquiry when it was announced.
'It is essential that we facilitate Mr Palmer’s work in every appropriate way and I expect all staff to provide Mr Palmer with their total cooperation.
'To that end, and to ensure staff are able to receive any necessary protection, in the exercise of my powers under the Public Service Act 1999 I now formally direct all APS employees engaged within DIMIA to cooperate fully with the inquiry. This includes, as appropriate, answering questions, providing departmental documents and giving any other evidence to the inquiry,' Mr Farmer said.
The department would have been happy to save Mr Skelton the embarrassment of having such an erroneous article published if we had been given the chance.
Kym Charlton
Acting Director
Public Affairs
DIMIA