Prime Minister Howard - 'known liar', 'lying rodent': "In a superb piece of irony, the Government's designated chief defender of Howard's truthfulness was outed on the Nine Network the night before the Senate hearing as having boasted 15 months ago to a group of Queensland Liberal colleagues that Howard was a 'lying rodent' whom he and others would have to 'cover his arse again' on children overboard. Brandis denies the accusation unequivocally, a denial Labor's John Faulkner dismissed with contempt at the Scrafton hearing.

"When Brandis produced what he said were Telstra records of all telephone calls - including mobile calls - to and from the Lodge on the night of November 7, 2001, he refused to make the records public for 'security' reasons.

"Ray: 'So they can be given to you but not tabled in this committee? We have offered for people from the Prime Minister's office to come and give evidence if they wish, not to take second-hand evidence from you in some closest.'

"Labor Senate leader John Faulkner: 'I do not believe anything the Prime Minister's office says about anything. And I do not believe anything the Prime Minister has ever said about anything. He is a known liar. Senator Brandis knows that, and says it.'"

For a long period Howard maintained a defence (harldy less discreditable) that 'no one told me about that' in relation to false statements of his. By this stage however most observors would have to conclude he simply lied.

Prime Minister Howard - 'known liar', 'lying rodent': "In a superb piece of irony, the Government's designated chief defender of Howard's truthfulness was outed on the Nine Network the night before the Senate hearing as having boasted 15 months ago to a group of Queensland Liberal colleagues that Howard was a 'lying rodent' whom he and others would have to 'cover his arse again' on children overboard. Brandis denies the accusation unequivocally, a denial Labor's John Faulkner dismissed with contempt at the Scrafton hearing.

"When Brandis produced what he said were Telstra records of all telephone calls - including mobile calls - to and from the Lodge on the night of November 7, 2001, he refused to make the records public for 'security' reasons.

"Ray: 'So they can be given to you but not tabled in this committee? We have offered for people from the Prime Minister's office to come and give evidence if they wish, not to take second-hand evidence from you in some closest.'

"Labor Senate leader John Faulkner: 'I do not believe anything the Prime Minister's office says about anything. And I do not believe anything the Prime Minister has ever said about anything. He is a known liar. Senator Brandis knows that, and says it.'"

For a long period Howard maintained a defence (harldy less discreditable) that 'no one told me about that' in relation to false statements of his. By this stage however most observors would have to conclude he simply lied.