I don't know if I can make a submission to the Royal Commission or if the Commissioners even care, but as the bloke who broke the story, let me tell you the sequence of events, because this evidence by Ord is inaccurate.

Mick Connolly stood down/was stood down AFTER I made inquires, but BEFORE I published.

After I put in some written questions, Duncan Ord and I had a long off the record conversation on the phone in the presence of a third person.

Subsequently, I received written answers to my questions, which included the revelation Mr Connolly had stood aside.

This was before publication.

The exact quote was: "In consideration that there should be no perception of a conflict of interest, Mr Connolly is stepping aside from his role as chief casino officer effective immediately."

I received that response at 6.15pm on Friday, Feb 12. I published on the morning of Monday, Feb 15.

So, Mr Connolly may well have been distressed, but it can't have been from the media report, because he stood down before it was published.