Sharri Markson: Gillian Triggs has revealed her true colour ... and it’s green
GILLIAN Triggs can no longer pretend to be an independent, bipartisan figure who rises above the political fray as the champion of human rights in Australia, writes Sharri Markson.
Opinion
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GILLIAN Triggs can no longer pretend to be an independent, bipartisan figure who rises above the political fray as the champion of human rights in Australia.
NOTE: The Press Council has upheld a complaint in relation to this article. Read the full adjudication here.
The reality is, the professor is knee-deep in the murky green waters of left-wing activism.
The Human Rights Commission president is headlining a fundraiser for the former leader of the Greens, Bob Brown, in two weeks.
‘Impartial’ Human Rights Commissioner will headline fundraiser for Bob Brown
The $50 a head event is to raise funds for Brown’s foundation — a radical, environmental group and highly-political organisation that bankrolls activists “who show real pluck”.
Triggs has repeatedly come under fire for her alleged left-wing bias — claims she has rubbished.
But it doesn’t get clearer than this. Triggs is not headlining a fundraiser for the Liberals, Labor, the Nationals or the Australian Conservatives.
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It’s for the former leader of the Greens — a wacky fringe party that Australia would probably be better off without.
Having our independent president of the Human Rights Commission openly supporting a Green-aligned event, where she will give an oration titled “Fighting for our rights — a fair go Australia’, doesn’t pass the pub test.
It indicates a lack of partiality when the Commission should be an organisation above politics that advocates for human rights.
But little about the Commission or Gillian Triggs is impartial.
This is just the latest sorry episode on the politicisation of the taxpayer-funded organisation by Triggs, who has used her tenure at the head of the agency to prosecute a variety of left-wing pet causes, including targeting QUT students for innocent banter that was trumped up to become charges of racism and cartoonist Bill Leak, demanding even true artists work within the confines of the politically correct.
It’s understandable that Tony Abbott has called for the HRC to be scrapped altogether.
And now Triggs’ true colours have been shown, and those true colours are green.
On the invitation for the event, Brown describes Triggs as “a brave, inspiring and resilient champion of human rights. Gillian Triggs has defied the cruel political tide of modern Australian politics.”
Fellow Tasmanian senator Eric Abetz, who has overseen senate inquiries where Triggs has given contradictory evidence, has a different view of Triggs.
He says she must either pull out of the Brown fundraiser or step down as president.
“Unless she withdraws, then she should resign because people in her position should be apolitical,” he said.
“There are statutory requirements for the head of the HRC and she should be reconsidering her position.
“People should have confidence that in her decision making she will not favour one side of politics or one group over another and by headlining an actual fundraiser like this she’s clearly showing her colours.”
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Triggs’ appearance at the fundraiser would also appear to be a breach of the Public Service Values and Code of Conduct for employees and agency heads, which says that “the Australian Public Service is apolitical, performing its functions in an impartial and professional manner.”
It says, “APS employees should not engage in party political activities.”
Brown’s foundation reeks of political activism.
Just two days ago, he called on Energy and Resources Minister Josh Frydenberg to “use his powers” to save wildlife and stop logging in Tasmania, asking him to intervene in Will Hodgman’s government.
And in January 2016 Brown himself was arrested for a logging protest and was escorted by police away from a northwest Tasmanian forest.
The Human Rights Commission hasn’t weighed into many issues of genuine discrimination in Australia that have caused upset with the public, the latest being the discrimination against women at Punchbowl Boys High School.
But that isn’t the sort of issue that Triggs is interested in.
Her priority doesn’t seem to be about a tolerant Australia, it’s about persecuting innocent students and a once-in-a-generation cartoonist in Bill Leak.
Clearly, for Triggs, Greenie figures like Bob Brown are her heroes, and those who advocate freedom of speech, like Leak, are her villains.
As the beloved star of the loony left, Triggs is disconnected from mainstream Australian society and it’s time her tenure came to a close.
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