Bill Shorten (Maribyrnong, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. Prime Minister, how is it possible to view the following evidence from the Attorney-General yesterday as anything other than seeking a resignation and offering another job? I quote Attorney-General Brandis:

It was my wish that Professor Triggs, having reflected on her position, would recognise that it was untenable and was doing the commission harm … I did say to Mr Moraitis that I hoped Professor Triggs could be encouraged or would be willing to serve the government in other capacities …

Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I do not know what Shorten QC is trying to establish here, but all he is establishing is that he is not interested in the real issues that concern the Australian people. Yet again, Canberra insider nonsense—that is all this is. Canberra insider nonsense is all he is interested in, while every day this government is getting on with the job of looking after the Australian people.

This government has lost confidence in the President of the Human Rights Commission. We have lost confidence in the President of the Human Rights Commission—

Mr Dreyfus interjecting—

Mr Brendan O'Connor interjecting—

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Isaacs will desist, as will the member for Gorton

Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

because she thought it was political to have an inquiry into children in detention when, under Labor, there were 2,000 of them but somehow it was okay to have a politicised inquiry into children in detention when, under this coalition government, there are fewer than 200 of them. We have lost confidence in the President of the Human Rights Commission because she thought it was somehow okay to recommend $300,000 in taxpayers' money to be paid to someone who murdered his wife and his child—that a wife and child murderer should be paid $300,000 because the government had the hide to keep this person in detention because he would obviously have been a menace to the community. If members opposite think that people like that should be let out—if they think that people like that should be compensated—they had better stand up and explain themselves to the Australian people. It is precisely because people like that have no judgement—members opposite have no judgement—that they are engaging in this kind of grubby nitpicking now.

Opposition members interjecting—

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

There will be silence on my left.

Tanya Plibersek (Sydney, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Why did you offer her another job, then?

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Sydney! Once again, we are hearing a cacophony of noise, which is building to a wall of noise and will not be tolerated. If it continues, there will be many people who will have to leave the chamber.

Mr Brendan O'Connor interjecting—

We will begin with the member for Gorton, who may leave under 94(a) now.

The member for Gorton then left the chamber.