Former AWB chairman Trevor Flugge, who was paid nearly $1 million as a Federal Government-appointed adviser for wheat sales to Iraq, has denied any knowledge of illegal kickbacks to the Iraqi regime. Appearing before the Cole commission, Mr Flugge said he could not remember a meeting in Washington in 2000, which suggested that senior AWB officials and the government were aware of the bribe allegations. Compounding his helpfulness to the commission was the revelation that his hearing was impaired. This made it difficult to determine if the issue was discussed at a dinner he attended – because he couldn’t hear. In addition, his diaries covering the period of time of the Washington meeting had gone missing.