It might be pretty damn sexy (and a major blast from the past) that former Australian Wheat Board chairman Trevor Flugge is in the Supreme Court of Victoria on civil charges relating to the 1990's oil for wheat scandal, but that is neither the sexiest or memory lane-inducing part of it.

Flugge's defence team has advised the prosecutors it intends to call both prime minister of the day John Howard and foreign minister of the day Alexander Downer, in an attempt to make the former government share some of the blame for what allegedly went on at the single wheat desk – and at the time of the alleged breaches of Flugge's director's duties, a statutory authority of the Commonwealth.

After his catch-up with Tony Abbott, Howard will well and truly be prepped for a few rounds with counsel assisting, but Downer could be in for a shock after the genteel duties of UK high commissioner.