It was a small event in a week of swirling, big political, economic and health news that had Prime Minister Scott Morrison so busy he was on the verge of overexposure.

However, an otherwise penny-ante admission about a six-month-old story told us a lot about our national leader and set off an alarm about public trust.

A week ago, Morrison appeared on Ben Fordham’s 2GB afternoon radio show and was quizzed about something that was still unexplained business – had he or his office pushed for Hillsong Church pastor Brian Houston to be on the guest list for the PM’s state dinner at the White House last September?

After having first dismissed this issue as gossip, then flatly refused to address it before blocking freedom of information inquiries on it, Morrison confessed his office had put Houston’s name forward.

“On that occasion, we put forward a number of names that included Brian, but not everybody whose names we put forward were invited,” Morrison said.

“I’ve known Brian for a long time and Hillsong church has a very big network of churches all across the United States, and the ministry, when it comes to the music and so many other things have been very big – it’s probably the single largest church organisation that is known in the United States.”

This answer was uncontroversial. If he’d found these words last September it would have killed a non-story in a heartbeat. There might have been a small mention as part of the coverage over the White House dinner, maybe not. One thing is certain – we wouldn’t have been talking about it now, six months later.

After the 2BG interview, Morrison appeared on 7.30 and was questioned further about the Houston invitation as part of a broader series of inquiries on honesty and accountability. The PM brushed the matter aside, dismissing its importance.

“At the time, I could have answered the question differently,” he said. “I have been upfront about that but honestly, at the end of the day, it was not a significant matter and people haven’t asked me about it for months and months and months. A journalist asked me about it today and I just answered it straight up.”

So, not much to see here. Just another insider baseball issue journalists and government critics obsess about, the Twittersphere melts down over but which means next to nothing for the general public, who are more worried about getting sick, having enough toilet paper and keeping their jobs.

Why should we care? There are two reasons. First, our leaders should be honest with the public. We should expect them to answer questions honestly and openly unless there are security or particular national interest considerations which make that not possible.

The question of whether Houston had been put forward for an invitation the White House ultimately rejected does reach any kind of security or national interest test. Morrison should have responded honestly when first asked last September.

Second, this matters because we’re facing the greatest health crisis many Australians have known. We need to be able to trust our leaders, have faith in what they’re saying and be assured the information is not being spun for political purposes.

Morrison emerged from last year’s “miracle” election win with strong public support most evident in the rating for handling a crisis. This standing took a massive hit during the summer bushfires when people thought he was missing in action while holidaying in Hawaii and then reluctant to take things seriously.

He is now trying to rebuild public trust in himself and his government, using the response to the Covid-19 virus and its economic fallout as the basis for that mission. He is making a political virtue out of what is a public policy necessity.

The Brian Houston affair shows how his stubborn refusal to be straight on the simplest of matters has made all of this so much harder. No wonder the Labor Party is narrowing its attack on Morrison to twin criticisms that he’s just a salesman and he’s shifty.