Proceedings in Canberra today have ranged from the bizarre to the downright farcical – and the latter was none more evidenced than in an on-going Senate Estimates enquiry into the Human Rights Commission, and more specifically, its President Gillian Triggs.
“I shall try to be as clear as possible. The decision to hold an inquiry was one that evolved gradually over time and reflected many factors; of overarching importance were the high numbers of children held in detention, numbers that fluctuated considerably over many months – other factors were the increasing periods of time for which the children were being held, [and] the forthcoming election in September when information would not be available.“
But it’s when questioning turned to the Attorney-General’s apparent attempts to remove Triggs that things got really nutty. Labor senators Jacinta Collins and Penny Wong began the line of questioning, with Triggs confirming that a secretary from the AGD had approached her with the request to resign from her position, with the promise of another opportunity for her being found.
“He (the secretary) said he’d been asked to deliver the message from the attorney that he required my resignation. I said what is the reason for this request? I believe he had no details for the basis for it.
I gave him my answer. I have a five year statutory position … which is designed to avoid political interference in the exercise of my tasks.“
“It was definitely said to me that an offer would be made for me to provide work for the government in areas of my expertise in international law.”
Senator Wong asked Triggs if she believed the request to resign and the offer of another position were offered to her in conjunction – a very serious allegation. Triggs confirmed this, stating “There is no doubt in my mind that the two were connected. I thought it was a disgraceful proposal.” However, she stopped short of labelling it an “inducement” – or, in other words, a bribe.
“I thought you might like to hear a man’s voice.“
With patience now wearing extremely thin on Triggs, Wong and Greens senator Penny Wright‘s behalf, the gloves began dropping.
“You said we did nothing. This is a profound mis-statement.”
Then Senator Young, who also by this point had had enough.
“There is serious question about your partiality in chairing. I think you are seriously compromising the dignity of the committee. I want to put that on the record.”
And finally, Penny Wong who remarked that MacDonald was turning the inquiry “into a circus.” At which point MacDonald, in passing, made reference to the fact that he simply had not read the Forgotten Children report because of his pre-conceived notice that it was Partisan.
