Julia Gillard (Lalor, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is again to the Prime Minister. Can the Prime Minister confirm whether or not in December last year his office instructed Senator Santoro to change the description of his activities on the Senate register of interests from ‘share trading’ to ‘share investment’?

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

I have already indicated, in answer to the earlier question, there was a contact between Mr Nutt and his opposite number in the senator’s office and the categorisation was the subject of the contact. The reason why the discussion took place was that if you looked at the register then, manifestly, because of the small number of share investments recorded, there could not have been trading. That is why the categorisation was discussed. I know what the deputy is trying to get at—

Julia Gillard (Lalor, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

What is the answer?

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

Hang on. I know exactly how the deputy found this out and I know why she is asking this question. The answer is that there was contact. Mr Nutt pointed out that, on the face of it, those shares held did not amount to trading and that was an incorrect categorisation. I indicated that in the previous answer. What the deputy leader is getting at is the suggestion that in December of last year Mr Nutt knew of the disclosures that were made a few days ago. He did not, and any suggestion of that is absolutely wrong.