George Brandis (Queensland, Liberal Party, Attorney-General) Share this | Hansard source

I am extremely surprised that Senator Singh would criticise the government for not replacing Mr Innes with a full-time commissioner because, Senator Singh, for the entirety of the period of the previous government, for every single day there was not a day on which the Human Rights Commission was fully constituted. For every single day of the previous Labor government one or more of the human rights commissioners had a double commission. And, Senator Singh, I am particularly surprised that you would be criticising the government for not intending to replace Mr Innes with a full-time commissioner, because for most of the period of the Labor government in which you served Mr Innes held two portfolios. Mr Innes was from 2005 until 2009 the Disability Discrimination Commissioner but during those periods he also acted as the Race Discrimination Commissioner and the Human Rights Commissioner respectively.

Senator Singh, I heard your speech in the matters of public interest session earlier today when you said that it was shameful that Mr Innes was not being replaced by a full-time commissioner. If it is shameful, why was it not shameful that for most of the period of the Labor government Mr Innes held two portfolios?