Politics Live: 24 February 2015

Okay, the end of the day. What happened?

• the president of the Human Rights Commission, Gillian Triggs, appeared before a Senate estimates hearing;
• where it was established that the government wanted her to resign in February;
• and was prepared to offer her another position if she stepped down;
• both Prime Minister Tony Abbott and Attorney General George Brandis say they no longer have confidence in Professor Triggs;
• the latest opinion poll shows a turn in fortunes for the government; and
• Mr Abbott faced a cranky party room this morning which was not backward about coming forward about its grievances over his leadership.

In relation to Chan and Sukumaran, Foreign Minister Julie Bishop says Prime Minister Tony Abbott's comments linking Australia's tsunami aid with a clemency bid for the two Australians on death row in Bali were seen as unhelpful by the Indonesian government.

The legal and constitutional affairs committee has paused for afternoon tea.

This seems like a good place to leave proceedings.

Yes, there are questions about the timing of the announcement of the commission's inquiry into children in detention. Yes, there are questions about the government's attempt to get Professor Triggs to resign.

But there are also questions about exactly what happened to children in detention centres. It's just that almost no one (except Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young) has been asking them.

Earlier today, Palmer United Party leader Clive Palmer issued a breathless press release promising to reveal "facts about Liberal Party funding".

The appointed time has now been and gone.

Mr Palmer tells the House of Representatives he has elected to raise the matter at another time in a debate on industrial relations at a later date. For some reason.

"I will save it for another day and keep the suspense going," Mr Palmer says.

Palmer United Party leader Clive Palmer in the House of Representatives on Tuesday.Credit: Alex Ellinghausen

Senator Brandis says he cannot tell Professor Triggs what to do but he thinks the commission should focus on issues of interest to Australians, not a problem the government has largely solved (by which he means the numbers of children in immigration detention centres).

Senator Brandis wants the commission to have a "better relationship with the government and to focus on things of more immediate concern to more Australians".

Professor Triggs seeks to correct the record: "I believe I am very able to carry out the work of the commission...The work of the commission goes on. The commission has gone about its daily work in a thoroughly professional manner."

We are now entering the eighth hour of this hearing.

The opposition is now calling on Senator Brandis to resign:

Senator Brandis is now giving evidence.

He says his "esteem for her as a distinguished international lawyer was undiminished" and remains so.

But it was clear the government had lost faith in her as president of the Human Rights Commission.

Senator Brandis says Labor MPs also told him they were also worried (he will not name them) and that sources inside the commission told him Professor Triggs was already reconsidering her position (he will not name them).

Attorney-General Senator George Brandis and department Secretary Chris Moraitis at a Senate committee hearing in Canberra on Tuesday.Credit: Andrew Meares

So, back to the legal and constitutional affairs committee hearing.

From speaking with immigration reporter Sarah Whyte it seems as if things have not progressed much further than where we left them at lunch time.

It is agreed - by Gillian Triggs, George Brandis and Chris Moraitis - that Mr Moraitis discussed with Professor Triggs, at the request of Senator Brandis, the fact that the government no longer had confidence in her.

Professor Triggs says Mr Moraitis asked her to resign.

Mr Moraitis says he did not use that word specifically but that it was an option.

Both say another role was discussed.

You can follow developments in the case of Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran here.

In our house we call this the "pointy finger". And it is not allowed.

Social Services Minister Scott Morrison during question time on Tuesday.Credit: Alex Ellinghausen