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

I do not want to belabour this point, because it is far from the most important point, but I just do point out to the chamber, against the assertion that I failed to give a full account, I was asked one question in the entire day about these matters. There was no follow-up question from Senator Wong. There was not a single question directed to me by Senator Collins, who represents the shadow Attorney-General in this chamber. There was not a single question directed to me from the Australian Greens. So how it can be said that I failed to give a full account when I was given the opportunity to do so once and availed myself of it at length is beyond me.

Let me turn, then, to the second paragraph of the motion, which accuses me of seeking to obtain the resignation of Professor Triggs by facilitating the offer of an alternative role that would have required her to relinquish her position as president. It should be remembered in this debate that I have never had a conversation with Professor Triggs about these matters—never to this day. There was one relevant conversation conducted at my request between the secretary of my department, Mr Chris Moraitis PSM, and Professor Triggs. Mr Moraitis's evidence to the Senate estimates committee could not have been clearer. Mr Moraitis said emphatically and unequivocally that he did not ask for Professor Triggs's resignation. So the attack on me is in fact, although the opposition seeks to avoid the consequences of their conduct, an attack on Mr Moraitis, who commands my entire confidence and every word of whose evidence to the Senate estimates committee last Tuesday I believe to be true.

Mr Moraitis is an extremely distinguished public servant. He is, among other things, a former High Commissioner to New Guinea. He has served in senior roles in the Department of Foreign Affairs and trade throughout his career. And, although the opposition seek to avoid the consequences of what they are saying here today, this cannot be other than, by attacking me, attacking Mr Moraitis because they dispute his evidence. Mr Moraitis's evidence was that he did not seek Professor Triggs's resignation, and I stand by him. He has my entire confidence. I might add that Mr Moraitis was equally emphatic that no inducement was offered to Professor Triggs, and Professor Triggs did not allege that an inducement had been offered to her.

But let me be blunt: as I said to the committee last Tuesday, I had lost confidence in Professor Gillian Triggs as the President of the Australian Human Rights Commission. I had lost confidence and I have lost confidence, and that fact, I believe, is something that the public are—

Opposition senators interjecting—