The Australian Wheatboard Hedquarters is pictured in LaTrobe Street Melbourne February 3, 2006 in Melbourne, Australia. AWB allegedly paid $290 Million AUD in kickbacks to Saddam Hussein's regime under the Iraqi oil-for-food program. (Sean Garnsworthy/Getty Images)
Mr Lindberg is accused of failing in his duties as a director of the wheat exporter because he "knew or ought to have known" that the "bribes" of up to $US55 per tonne of wheat were being paid to Iraq in contravention of United Nations sanctions.
Victorian Supreme Court Justice Ross Robson on Wednesday said it appeared many people at AWB knew of the "trucking fees".
"It doesn't seem to be much of a secret does it? The trucking fee," he said commenting on a 2001 email tendered to the court.
"It seems to be broadcast to all and sundry."
Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) lawyer Norman O'Bryan QC said dozens of people would have received the email.
"No, it's not a secret Your Honour and that is why we say Mr Lindberg knew about it," he said.
"There is several group email addresses there.
"Dozens, potentially, of people are getting this email."
The court has previously heard the "trucking fees" added up to $US225 million or $US1 million per week between 1999 and 2003.
The fees were in contravention of United Nations sanctions which prevented dealing with Iraq in hard currency, the court has heard.
Earlier on Wednesday, the court heard AWB recognised in 2000 that it might have problems with fraud or bribery and commissioned a report from one of the world's largest consultancy firms, Arthur Andersen.
The firm's December 2000 report highlighted concerns that the "trucking fees" may be "misrepresented as a money laundering process".
It also raised issues of fraud and lack of integrity by some overseas AWB staff.
The report made a number of recommendations including that all contracts be looked at for legal issues and that overseas staff be more closely monitored.
Mr O'Bryan said Mr Lindberg read a document which made reference to the report's recommendations, because his hand writing was on it.
But Mr Lindberg failed to implement the report's recommendations, he said.
The civil penalty trial continues on Thursday.
