from the ABC …..

Santoro voices his deep regret

Former Howard Government minister Santo Santoro has told his Liberal and National colleagues that he deeply regrets that he is leaving federal Parliament.

He quit as a minister for failing to disclose his share dealings and last week told Parliament that he is also resigning from the Senate.

Senator Santoro told a meeting of his colleagues this morning that it would have caused too much distraction for the Government if he had stayed in Parliament.

The Prime Minister told the meeting it had been a difficult few weeks and wished the Queensland Senator and his family well for the future.