Hill delays statement on abuse

[struggle4progress]

Defence Minister Robert Hill has been forced to postpone his detailed explanation of what and when Australia first knew about the Iraqi prisoner abuse issue because the statement is not ready.
<snip>

"We expect it will be this week, but it won't be tomorrow," a spokeswoman for Senator Hill said.

Prime Minister John Howard ordered the explanation on June 1 after Defence department head Ric Smith and Chief of the Defence Force Peter Cosgrove admitted they had misled the public about when Australian military lawyer Major George O'Kane had become aware of the abuse at Baghdad's Abu Ghraib prison.

Until then, the government had maintained that Australian officials first became aware of the allegations in January and ministers first knew when graphic photographs were published in April.
<snip>

http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2004/06/14/1087065080254.html