Peter Costello (Higgins, Liberal Party, Treasurer) Share this | Hansard source

Saying it is analogous? What, that somebody has been convicted of a crime whilst working for the National Australia Bank? No, I would not say that that was analogous at all, but I will say this for the National Australia Bank: it dealt with those matters, as it should have. I have seen in relation to the National Australia Bank that it has been the subject of various inquiries and, after those inquiries, it has fixed itself up. Does it have an unblemished record? No, the National Australia Bank does not have an unblemished record. It would be very, very dangerous to say that no financial institution which has ever been the subject of litigation could be trusted in relation to the financial affairs of individuals or companies or government, because I do not think you would find a financial institution anywhere in the world that has not been the subject of litigation—certainly the National Australia Bank would not be in that category. As far as the government is concerned, the Future Fund conducted an open and honest tender. It has made its decision accordingly. The government does not believe that it should intervene, and if the Labor Party does, let it come to the dispatch box and say so.

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