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

It does not do your argument one iota of good, Senator Wong, to keep yelling out 'bullyboys'. The fact is that by her own decision—what I describe as catastrophic error of judgement—Professor Triggs has lost the confidence of the non-Labor side of politics; and I might say, by the way, of many on the Labor side of politics too, who have spoken to me privately.

Senator Moore, in a more thoughtful contribution than Senator Wong's, made the point that the Human Rights Commission has to be above politics. Of course it does. Of course it must be above politics, which is the very reason why, if its leader puts the commission in a position where it is seen to be taking political sides, then the commission's position and the president's position become untenable. It is for the very reason, Senator Moore, that you articulated that the president must be careful not to make decisions which can reasonably be thought to favour one side of politics over another. Professor Triggs, I am sorry to say, failed that test.

To say that is not to criticise her integrity; it is not to criticise her professionalism, either. It is merely to say that a person charged with the obligation of leading a body which must be like Caesar's wife—a body which must be extremely jealous of its reputation for freedom from political partisanship—will find their position untenable if they steer the commission into a position as a result of decisions they have made which are seen to favour the interests of one side of politics above another. That reputation is lost; that reputation, I am sorry to say—not because of anything I or the Prime Minister have said, but because of what Professor Triggs herself decided—has been lost.