John Howard (Bennelong, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Hansard source

I thought I indicated yesterday—but, if I did not, I do so today—that the contact was initiated by my office. It was initiated by Mr Tony Nutt, then serving as principal private secretary, now my chief of staff. It was initiated because, on examination of the assets on the register of pecuniary interests put there by the senator, it was clear, given the relatively small number of share investments referred to in the return, that they did not amount to trading and that therefore trading was a misdescription. That is the reason why Mr Nutt made the inquiry. In fact, I am surprised that the Deputy Leader of the Opposition is querying this. I would have thought that evidence that this transpired indicated that a very careful watch was being kept, which is absolutely contrary—

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