Against the Grain

This book addresses how this kickback scandal was allowed to happen. Title will be supported by a full media campaign. The significance of the AWB scandal extends well beyond its immediate political impact. Its lasting lessons go to the heart of how government and companies are run in Australia. In this book, Stephen Bartos explores those lessons, and shows that reform will be needed to provide the assurance that this country is committed to transparency and accountability. The media commentary surrounding the affair has mostly ignored the important long-term issues. Instead, journalists have embarked on a futile search for evidence of ministerial culpability - the so-called "smoking gun". But the way government now works in Australia means that such damning evidence is highly unlikely to exist.