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

Senator Wong, I would not express the point in the way in which you have expressed it. When you say 'did I become aware of his interest', I approached him, as I approach any appointee. People do not approach ministers ordinarily and seek to be appointed to courts or tribunals. People do not ordinarily approach ministers or attorneys to seek to be appointed to courts or tribunals. Of all of the members of the bench to whom I have offered appointments, whether to the High Court, the Federal Court, the Family Court, the Federal Circuit Court or the AAT, I cannot recall a single occasion on which I have been approached. The ordinary procedure or protocol is for a person to be approached by government, and the ordinary protocols were observed on this occasion. (Time expired)