Is this what Jerome signed up for? (II)

Another moment of unintentional hilarity, from the proceedings of the Bow-Wow Parliament on Tuesday (with some superfluosity removed):

MS JONES: Mr. Speaker, yesterday in the House of Assembly the Premier referenced the Rules of Procedure and Practice in discussing the Cameron inquiry, and I would like to reference one of those rules. In fact, rule 16, which I am sure the Premier would know, or ought to know, and it states: The conduct of and the procedure to follow in this inquiry are within the control and discretion of the Commissioner.

So knowing this and agreeing to this, I ask the Premier: Why would you even interfere with Justice Cameron’s judgement on this?

PREMIER WILLIAMS: There is also a rule, which is rule 18, and also rule 29, which is the basis upon which we have grounded our application. That application is to make sure that the Commission’s counsel conducts itself in a proper manner. This is not the first time this has been raised. It was not raised simply by myself and by the Attorney General. In the brief that has actually been filed with the Commissioner today for her consideration, there are examples of other counsels specifically stating that in fact they felt that Commission counsel, Mr. Coffey, was in fact breaching the rules of cross-examination. So, that is there. It is attached to the brief, that brief will be a public document. You are more than welcome to have a look at it and get a legal opinion on it.

MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

We have a copy of the rules and procedure. I just ask the Premier: Does it not say that on the consent of the Commissioner that counsel can cross-examine witnesses?

PREMIER WILLIAMS: Will you take that?

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Justice and Attorney General.

MR. KENNEDY: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

In relation to the question from the Leader of the Opposition, let me quote from - I am not allowed to quote, sorry. Let me paraphrase from a previous report where we talked about the principles that govern the conduct of a public inquiry. They are thoroughness, expedition, openness to the public and fairness. Those are the guiding principles that must apply, and you must never forget that the purpose of an inquiry is to determine what went wrong to determine in this case what happened, how to prevent it from happening in the future and to educate the public. Those are the guiding principles.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!