Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

Unlike you: you want to defend the rights of the bigots! Well, I defend their right to provide reports to this parliament and to stand up for what they consider is their remit—and so does every senator on this side.

I believe there are senators on that side who are deeply troubled—deeply troubled—by the actions of this Attorney-General. They understand that this commission carries out important functions: the promotion of human rights and Australia's observance of international human rights convention and law, as well as resolving complaints of discrimination and conducting inquiries into human rights issues. I say, and the Labor senators say, that the role of the Attorney-General should be to defend such an agency from unwarranted and politically motivated attacks.

Again, I reprise that the attacks on the president of the commission have so alarmed the legal profession that the Bar Association and the Law Council jointly issued a statement on 14 February this year, including stating that in relation to Professor Triggs:

Personal criticism directed at her or at any judicial or quasi-judicial officer fulfilling the duties of public office as required by law is an attack upon the independence and integrity of the Commission and undermines confidence in our system of justice and human rights protection.

The Law Council and the Australian Bar Association state that this:

… undermines confidence in our system of justice and human rights protection.

Senator Brandis failed to defend the commission when it came under attack from members of his own government and from the media.