By Xinhua,
Canberra : Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd put public servants on notice on Thursday after an embarrassing leak which showed cabinet ignored the advice of four departments about its FuelWatch scheme.
Rudd’s department has launched an investigation into who leaked the document, which is a criminal offense.
Rudd pointed the finger at the public service, saying he was confident none of his ministers was the source of the leak.
“I understand that there’s been some criticism around the edges, that some public servants are finding the hours a bit much,” Rudd told reporters.
“Well I suppose I’ve simply got news for the public service – there’ll be more.
Rudd said he was confident the leak had not come from any of his cabinet colleagues.
“I’m absolutely confident in not just the direction in which the government is proceeding on this, but the solidarity within the government on delivering the best possible outcome for motorists,” he said.
The document, leaked to the Nine Network, showed four departments expressed concern about FuelWatch, which forces service stations to fix their prices each day.
But the cabinet decided to go ahead with introducing a national scheme on the advice of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC).