Editing Children Overboard affair (section)

==Scrafton revelations==

Michael Scrafton, a former senior advisor to Peter Reith, revealed on 16 August 2004 that he told Howard on 7 November 2001 that the Children Overboard claim might be untrue.<ref name='ABC20040816_WorldTodayScrafton'>{{ cite news
 | url=http://www.abc.net.au/worldtoday/content/2004/s1177463.htm
 | title=Mike Scrafton speaks live about children overboard affair
 | author=Catherine McGrath
 | work=The World Today
 | publisher=ABC Radio
 | date=16 August 2004
}}</ref> Howard said that they only discussed the inconclusive nature of the video footage.<ref name='ABC20040816_Lateline'>{{ cite news
 | url=http://www.abc.net.au/lateline/content/2004/s1177964.htm
 | title=Howard pressured over 'children overboard' knowledge
 | author=Greg Jennett
 | author-link=Greg Jennett
 | work=Lateline
 | publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation
 | date=16 August 2004
}}</ref> In light of the new information, the [[Australian Labor Party|Labor]] opposition called for further inquiry.<ref name='ABC20040816_NewsKidsOverboard'>{{ cite news
 | url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2004/08/16/1177170.htm
 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071208201930/http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2004/08/16/1177170.htm
 | url-status=dead
 | archive-date=8 December 2007
 | title=ALP wants new kids overboard probe
 | work=ABC News
 | publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation
 | date=16 August 2004
}}</ref>

On 29 August, Howard announced the [[2004 Australian federal election|2004 federal election]]. On 1 September, a second inquiry composed mainly of non-government senators was convened.<ref name='ScraftonInquiryPressRelease'>[http://www.aph.gov.au/Senate/Committee/scrafton_ctte/media/310804.pdf Media Release], Senate Select Committee on the Scrafton Evidence, 31 August 2004 {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070918101229/http://www.aph.gov.au/Senate/Committee/scrafton_ctte/media/310804.pdf |date=18 September 2007 }}</ref><ref name='TheAge_1Sept2004'>{{ cite news
 | url=http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2004/09/01/1093938945905.html
 | title=Children overboard to dominate campaign
 | author=AAP
 | work=[[The Age]]
 | publisher=Fairfax
 | date=1 September 2004
}}</ref> While the final report on 9 December found Scrafton's claims to be credible,<ref name='MainReport2'>[http://www.aph.gov.au/Senate/Committee/scrafton_ctte/ Senate Select Committee on the Scrafton Evidence], 9 December 2004 {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070910213515/http://www.aph.gov.au/Senate/Committee/scrafton_ctte/ |date=10 September 2007 }}</ref><ref name='ABC20041209_WorldToday'>{{ cite news
 | url=http://www.abc.net.au/worldtoday/content/2004/s1261514.htm
 | title=Senate inquiry finds Scrafton's children overboard evidence credible
 | publisher=[[Australian Broadcasting Corporation]] Local Radio
 | work=The World Today
 | author=Alexandra Kirk
 | date=9 December 2004
}}</ref> government committee members questioned the reliability of Scrafton's recollections and wrote a minority dissenting report challenging that finding.<ref name='DissentReport2'>{{ cite news
 | url=http://www.aph.gov.au/Senate/Committee/scrafton_ctte/report/d01.htm
 | title=Government Senators' Report
 | publisher=Senate Select Committee on the Scrafton Evidence
 | date=9 December 2004
 | url-status=dead
 | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070714022158/http://www.aph.gov.au/Senate/Committee/scrafton_ctte/report/d01.htm
 | archivedate=14 July 2007
 | df=dmy-all
 }}</ref>