Burke scandal hits business

Senior business figures, including close supporters of John Howard, have been dragged into the Brian Burke scandal after Health Minister Tony Abbott questioned the ethics of hiring the disgraced lobbyist.

As Kevin Rudd yesterday resisted pressure to provide further detail of three meetings with the politically poisonous former West Australian premier, the Prime Minister prepared to replace Ian Campbell, the Human Services Minister, who was sensationally sacked on Saturday after The Weekend Australian revealed details of his 20-minute meeting with Mr Burke last June.

But Mr Abbott yesterday scolded corporate Australia for helping rehabilitate the disgraced former premier. Mr Burke's corporate clients have included Macquarie Bank and Fortescue Metals whose chief executive Andrew Forrest is a close friend of Mr Howard and who attended a dinner in 2005 with Mr Rudd.

Asked on Network Ten whether business had been morally compromised by employing Mr Burke, Mr Abbott replied: "I think that certainly they have questions to answer because of the modus operandi that this gentleman has consistently been using."

Treasurer Peter Costello said last week "anyone" who dealt with Mr Burke was "politically and morally" compromised as the Government launched a concerted offensive against Mr Rudd over his 2005 meetings with Mr Burke.