The Moyle Report (Press, 17 April 1978)

On 17 April 1978, a political inquiry involving Mr Moyle and Deputy-Commissioner Mr Walton raised significant concerns regarding the circulation of sensitive information related to a past incident involving Mr Moyle. Mr Burnside stated that he preferred to stay out of the political realm and had never disclosed information to anyone, emphasizing the importance of public confidence. He noted regret over the current trends in political discourse. Mr Moyle expressed his regrets also, particularly regarding the impact of his statements in Parliament and his unawareness of whether Mr Walton was present during discussions. Mr Walton, in his testimony, affirmed that he had no ties with a certain officers' group and had never leaked information. He insisted his conversations with Mr Moyle were confidential. Mr Moyle's apprehension stemmed from remarks made by the Prime Minister, suggesting that he possessed a file related to Moyle’s incident. In response, Mr Burnside clarified that the Prime Minister had never held such a file and would seek legal advice on any intentions to table the information. Mr Burnside expressed astonishment at the charges made by Mr Moyle in relation to Mr Walton, stating that they seemed exaggerated and seemed intended to rationalise inaccuracies in Moyle's statements. He believed that the Prime Minister’s earlier comment concerning Moyle’s arrest for homosexual activities might have been the only public knowledge surrounding the incident. He described a situation where the details of the incident, which initially only a few police members were privy to, seemed to be circulating widely, contributing to a climate of gossip. This gossip potentially could have stemmed from several sources, including ministers discussing the matter among themselves, once they were briefed, and Mr Moyle himself possibly sharing his fears with colleagues. While responding to inquiries, Mr Rowling and Mr Connelly were also involved in questioning; Mr Rowling indicated that he had not discussed the intricacies of the police file with Mr Moyle, reflecting on the oddity of the lack of alarm over the situation despite knowing him for many years. Mr Connelly's recollection of a communication from the police suggested he was vague but later confirmed receiving a letter along with some attached documents regarding Mr Moyle's incident. However, he hesitated to classify this as a full "police file." Overall, the inquiry raised questions about the integrity of communications between government officials and the handling of sensitive information, suggesting that a lack of proper dialogue about the incident contributed to public speculation and concerns about how such information became known.

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