Lisa Singh (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary to the Shadow Attorney General) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Attorney-General, Senator Brandis. I refer to the joint statement of the Australian Bar Association and the Law Council of Australia entitled 'Personal attacks on Human Rights Commissioner alarming say the legal profession's leaders'. Does the Attorney-General agree with the Australian Bar Association and the Law Council of Australia, who say:

… we cannot tolerate our public officials and institutions being subjected to this barrage for fulfilling their statutory duties.

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

I do agree with those statements. In relation to the President of the Human Rights Commission, there have been no personal attacks on Professor Gillian Triggs, certainly not by me, certainly not by the Prime Minister, certainly not by anyone else that I am aware of. I do not want to belabour the point, but let me just say it again: it is the obligation of this parliament to hold public officials to account; it is the obligation of statutory office holders to fulfil their statutory functions; it is the obligation of leaders of agencies to keep those agencies in good shape. When the minister, when the government of the day, lose confidence in the holder of a statutory office, then it is nothing more than being truthful and candid with the public to tell them so. What I have said about Professor Triggs is the truth. I have lost confidence in her, and I have explained why. I have explained why at length. I have done so in a polite and respectful manner, but I have done so as I ought to.

Lisa Singh (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary to the Shadow Attorney General) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. I refer to comments from Robert Richter QC, who says that the Attorney-General's conduct in relation to the President of the Australian Human Rights Commission is capable of being construed as an attempt to get rid of a senior public officer for political reasons. What is the Attorney-General's response?

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

My response is that I do not agree. I am very well acquainted with many in the legal profession. I think there are nearly 1,000 Queen's Counsel in Australia, and, do you know what, Senator Singh? They represent all variety of views. On this particular occasion, I do not agree with Mr Richter's remarks.

Lisa Singh (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary to the Shadow Attorney General) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a further supplementary question. Having lost his credibility and the confidence of the legal profession and the Senate, how is tenable for the Attorney-General to remain in office?

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Singh, you did not really direct a question to the Attorney. You just asked, 'How is it tenable?' I will invite the Attorney-General to address the question, but it was not really a direct question. But I will invite him to address whatever part of the question he wishes to.

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

The point of the question seems to be that it is somehow untenable for an Attorney-General, or indeed any other minister, to be honest with the public in saying that they have lost confidence in the head of a statutory agency. That seems to be your point, Senator Singh. Well, the truth is I have lost confidence in Professor Triggs, and I have been honest about it and I have explained why. If you think there is something inappropriate about that, my attention has been drawn to a report in yesterday's Melbourne Age newspaper:

Premier Daniel Andrews said he had "lost confidence" in WorkSafe chief executive Denise Cosgrove and chairman David Krasnostein.

The government asked for their resignations …

Senator Singh, you seem to be at variance with Premier Andrews. You seem to be saying there is something wrong in a minister saying they have lost confidence in a statutory office holder. If you have lost confidence in such an officer, you are obliged to be honest about it. (Time expired)