Tuesday, March 13, 2007
A grub flaps its wings in the Andes and ...
Senator Santoro bought $6,000 worth of shares in Brisbane biotech company CBio a month before he was appointed Minister for Ageing in January 2006.
He says he only became aware of his shareholding and a technical breach of the ministerial code of conduct 10 months later.
The Minister says he ordered an immediate sale in October and in December updated senate records to reflect his ownership.
Senator Santoro says his failure to declare the shares was an honest mistake and he did not have any dealings with the company.
“I think that I have acted with honesty and integrity,” he said.
“The Prime Minister understands that there was an inadvertent oversight but it was up to me to make the decision.”
He said when he realised he owned the shares he sold them and donated the profits from the sale to a charity.
"I've always thought Santo Santoro was a pretty grubby sort of character, but a grub with whom I can do business, break bread and to whom I would always offer the benefit of the doubt ... not that Senator Santoro intends accepting that benefit .. in fact I understand that he's giving it to charity. That's what chaps on our side of Pandora's - now it sticks, now it don't - mudslinging can of worms do," the Foreign Dolly said through a glass giggly.
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