Australia’s incoming Attorney-General Christian Porter has indicated he wants to scrap the Human Rights Commission.
Mr Porter, who is replacing Senator George Brandis as the nation’s chief law officer, said the government body tasked with cracking down on discrimination had failed students accused of racism.
‘There have been deficiencies in the processes and operation of the Australian Human Rights Commission that have been revealed in recent times,’ the Perth-based MP told Sydney radio 2GB on Tuesday.
Incoming Attorney-General Christian Porter says the Australian Human Rights Commission deserves to be scrapped
Mr Porter was scathing of former Human Rights Commissioner Gillian Triggs’ handling of a racial discrimination case involving three Queensland University of Technology students
‘That is a reason for scrapping the organisation but it does indicate there need to be a range of improvements.’
Mr Porter, who was previously a Liberal attorney-general in Western Australia, has slammed the Human Rights Commission’s poor handling of a 2013 case involving three Queensland University of Technology (QUT) students in Brisbane.
Cindy Prior, an Aboriginal administration officer at QUT, had filed a $250,000 lawsuit against university students Alex Wood, Calum Thwaites and Jackson Powell after a Facebook post was published about an indigenous-only computer lab.
However under the leadership of former Humans Rights Commissioner Gillian Triggs, that case wasn’t resolved until late 2016 with a Federal Court judge John Dowsett ruling in March Ms Prior could not appeal.
Mr Porter was a little more charitable when asked about Race Discrimination Commissioner Tim Soutphommasane’s $330,000 salary
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull (left) has replaced George Brandis (right) as Attorney-General
Mr Porter was a little more charitable when 2GB fill-in drive presenter Michael McLaren criticised Race Discrimination Commissioner Tim Soutphommasane’s $330,000 salary ‘to tell us we’re racist’.
‘Well, I’m not sure, Michael, I entirely agree with that assessment,’ the incoming attorney-general said.
Under section 18C of the Racial Discrimination Act, it is unlawful to offend, humiliate or insult a group of people on racial grounds.
Mr Porter said the Turnbull Government had made ‘procedural’ changes to raise the threshold for racial discrimination complaints to avoid a repeat of the QUT case.
Senator Brandis is leaving the Senate to become Australia’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, taking over from former foreign minister Alexander Downer who’s held the post since 2014.
His replacement, a Cleo Bachelor of the Year finalist in 1993 when he was a 28-year-old lawyer, gained a major promotion during a major reshuffled announced by Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull on Tuesday.