Gillian Triggs ill-informed, not bullied, says Peter Dutton

Peter Dutton says he’s not bullying the human rights chief, as Scott Morrison says the nation hasn’t been well served by her.

Immigration Minister Peter Dutton denies he is bullying Australian Human Rights Commission president Gillian Triggs.

Senior Abbott government minister Scott Morrison says he does not believe the Australian Human Rights Commission has been “well served’’ by the tenure of its president Gillian Triggs.

“I don’t think Australians feel better and more supportive of the Australian Human Rights Commissioner because of her engagement in various issues, and what from looking outside in, I’m sure looks like a completely partisan approach to these sorts of issues,’’ Mr Morrison told Ray Hadley on 2GB today.

“I don’t think that serves the Institution of the Human Rights Commission very well and above all that’s the thing that I think should be weighing on her mind and those who advise her,’’ he said.

Professor Triggs, who has a five-year term at the AHRC, is embroiled in a fresh dispute with the Abbott government after comments on the death penalty and Indonesia, and her claim that federal politicians have overreached on counterterrorism laws.

She is a Labor appointee who is paid $410,000-a-year and her term ends in June 2017. She cannot be dismissed from her position because it is a statutory term but she can choose to stand down.

Immigration Minister Peter Dutton said today Professor Triggs was ill-informed, but shot down allegations from the Opposition that he had been “bullying’’ her.

Mr Dutton has accused Professor Triggs of reducing her office to that of a political advocate.

“I believe very strongly that people who are making ill-informed comments in relation to these matters need to be appraised of all the facts,” Mr Dutton said in Brisbane today.

He also rejected opposition claims that he was bullying the AHRC chief.

“They’re wrong,” he said. “To point out the facts in relation to a particular matter is not bullying.”

Greens leader Richard Di Natale described the government’s attack on Professor Triggs as “disgraceful and shameful’’.

“Here’s a news flash, she’s not there to help the government,’’ Senator Di Natale said, adding “that’s the whole point of having the Human Rights Commission - they’re a check on government.’’

“We don’t want our governments to have untrammelled power.’’

Additional reporting: AAP