[Phil Stanton]

I forgot to post this when it came to me a month ago...

//////////

geeez. not having to answer a question because "it was couched 
in the ironic" -
glad that doesn't apply here, or I'd never get any answers...

from the ABC's web site:

----------------------------

Howard questioned over 'fulsome commitment' to reconciliation 
Monday 1
December, 1997 (3:16pm AEST)


[Australian] Prime Minister John Howard has not had to answer 
an Opposition question about
his use of the word "fulsome" in last night's address to the 
nation on native
title.

Mr Howard said he wanted to stress the fulsome commitment of 
his Government to
the process of reconciliation.

Labor frontbencher, Laurie Brereton, asked how Mr Howard's use 
of the word
should be interpreted.

He asked: "In accordance with the Macquarie Dictionary, as 
gushing and
insincere or the Heineman Dictionary, as excessive in an 
insincere way, or the
Collins Dictionary, as excessive or insincere, especially in an 
offensive or
distasteful way?"

The Speaker, Bob Halverson, ruled the question out of order 
because it was
couched in the ironic, so Mr Howard was not required to 
respond.