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And while Courtenay had no apologies, we asked his former political colleague Godfrey Smith for a perspective. Smith and Courtenay both served in the Musa Administration from 1998 to 2008 - and Smith was a former Attorney General. That is the same administration that gave increased powers to the Senate to investigate matters of public interest. We asked Smith for his take on the walkout:
Jules Vasquez:
"As a former public official who's been an AG, what do you feel about the special select committee summoning ministers, acting ministers, or current ministers, and them just giving a statement and refusing to answer questions?"
Godfrey Smith, Former AG
"First of all, let me be clear that a I have to support the Senate, er, Senate, the ability of the Senate to have a special inquiry, because if I'm not mistaken, it is the government that I was a part of when I was attorney general that amended the Constitution to allow for that to take place. I can only imagine. We must have thought it's a good thing. And I still think that it's a good power to have. I can't and won't comment on particular legal stances taken by any particular minister, because I haven't actually looked at the law in relation to ministers and Cabinet Secretary and those things. It may be, that arguably, if I was retained, I would have had to put forward legal arguments supporting their, their, their refusal or, or their decision not to..."
"I don't know, because I haven't examined it. I don't know the law, but certainly and I support the concept of Senate special inquiries into matters of public interest, like this one."
Jules Vasquez:
"But you agree with the principle that public officials should be held answerable."
Godfrey Smith, Former AG
"Yes, of course, everybody should be held answerable."
