Page 868 - Week 03 - Wednesday, 13 March 1991
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Mr Connolly: I take a point of order. This house has no power to cross-examine. A motion was passed which referred to several questions. Mr Moore was given leave to respond. He was not given leave to answer the questions or to comply with the terms of the resolution. He was given leave to respond. In ordinary parlance, in any use of the English language, a response implies a member's general answer to the questions. Mr Moore's response could well be, "I defy you; I say nothing". That would be a response, and a certain consequence would no doubt follow. But it is surely up to Mr Moore to respond, and the house ought to hear his response before it judges him. The house has no power - unless the house wishes to attempt to call him to the bar, which it cannot do, he being a member - to say, "You must answer, 'Who is the Minister?' and 'On what dates were certain things said?'". This house has no power to cross-examine a member. He has been given leave to respond, and that does not mean to answer specific questions in an order that the Chief Minister or the Deputy Chief Minister may require.
Mr Kaine: Mr Speaker, Mr Connolly's argument is specious, and he knows it. Mr Moore sought leave to respond to a specific motion of this house.
Mr Moore: I am responding. I am not responding your way; I am responding my way.
Mr Kaine: Well, there is a question of relevance here, Mr Speaker. He was not given leave to introduce a whole range of irrelevant subject matter. He was given leave to deal with a specific motion of this house, and I require that he address it.
Mr Moore: Then withdraw the leave, if you do not like it.
MR SPEAKER: We are reaching a point of no return. The situation is that there is no relevancy rule, as requested by the Chief Minister, for a response. However, leave was granted for a particular reply to the question posed. What is concerning me is that we are going to dredge up old accusations in front of the press for a particular purpose that is not relevant to the question posed to Mr Moore. Mr Moore, I would again ask you to - - -
MR MOORE: Mr Speaker, I have been given leave to respond. I will develop my response in the way I intend to respond. If you look up a dictionary on the word "response" you will see that I can respond in whatever way I feel.
MR SPEAKER: I am aware that Mr Moore has a degree of accuracy in his statement. That is correct. I would now put to the Government members whether they wish to move that that leave be withdrawn. They are in a position to do so. But - - -
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