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| Gillian Triggs criticises News Corp claim Human Rights Commission 'failing older white men' Gillian Triggs criticises News Corp claim Human Rights Commission 'failing older white men' | |
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| The Australian Human Rights Commission president, Gillian Triggs, has criticised reporting of the commission’s work by the Australian newspaper, including the claim it is “failing older white men”. | The Australian Human Rights Commission president, Gillian Triggs, has criticised reporting of the commission’s work by the Australian newspaper, including the claim it is “failing older white men”. |
| Triggs said the headline was a “journalistic flourish that has no substance in law or in our practices” and criticised “misinformation” by some media outlets about reporting of section 18C Racial Discrimination Act complaints. | Triggs said the headline was a “journalistic flourish that has no substance in law or in our practices” and criticised “misinformation” by some media outlets about reporting of section 18C Racial Discrimination Act complaints. |
| On Monday, Triggs appeared before the Senate legal and constitutional affairs committee to clarify her earlier evidence that incorrectly claimed her comments in an interview with the Saturday Paper were taken out of context. | On Monday, Triggs appeared before the Senate legal and constitutional affairs committee to clarify her earlier evidence that incorrectly claimed her comments in an interview with the Saturday Paper were taken out of context. |
| Triggs also confirmed, as Guardian Australia reported in November, that she had advised the government on several occasions she did not intend to seek an extension of her term beyond mid 2017. | Triggs also confirmed, as Guardian Australia reported in November, that she had advised the government on several occasions she did not intend to seek an extension of her term beyond mid 2017. |
| Triggs refused to answer questions about the section 18C case against three Queensland University of Technology students, noting her obligations of confidentiality and that the matter was still before the court because of an appeal. | Triggs refused to answer questions about the section 18C case against three Queensland University of Technology students, noting her obligations of confidentiality and that the matter was still before the court because of an appeal. |
| “Were I able to discuss it, I would be pleased to do so because of the high level of misinformation in some sections of the media,” she said, and suggested revisiting the case in public debate after it had concluded. | “Were I able to discuss it, I would be pleased to do so because of the high level of misinformation in some sections of the media,” she said, and suggested revisiting the case in public debate after it had concluded. |
| Triggs said section 18C complaints were just 3.8% of the 2,300 formal discrimination complaints the commission handled. | Triggs said section 18C complaints were just 3.8% of the 2,300 formal discrimination complaints the commission handled. |
| Triggs said only a “very small aspect” of the QUT case had been presented by interested media outlets. Selective release of documents by the parties in the case and those discovered under freedom of information had resulted in an “extremely imbalanced view of the case”, she said. | Triggs said only a “very small aspect” of the QUT case had been presented by interested media outlets. Selective release of documents by the parties in the case and those discovered under freedom of information had resulted in an “extremely imbalanced view of the case”, she said. |
| In November, the Australian published a story titled AHRC head Gillian Triggs ‘failing older white men’ for not taking up the cause of white male complainants who objected to the claim by MP Linda Burney that opponents of 18C tended to be “basically white men of a certain age that have never experienced racial discrimination in their life”. Triggs rejected the claim outright. | In November, the Australian published a story titled AHRC head Gillian Triggs ‘failing older white men’ for not taking up the cause of white male complainants who objected to the claim by MP Linda Burney that opponents of 18C tended to be “basically white men of a certain age that have never experienced racial discrimination in their life”. Triggs rejected the claim outright. |
| In October, Triggs was grilled in a Senate estimates committee about an interview she gave the Saturday Paper in April in which she reportedly said politicians were “usually seriously ill-informed” and had “lost any sense of the rule of law”. | In October, Triggs was grilled in a Senate estimates committee about an interview she gave the Saturday Paper in April in which she reportedly said politicians were “usually seriously ill-informed” and had “lost any sense of the rule of law”. |
| Triggs had told the committee her comments were “taken out of context” and some quotes were inaccurate. She later revised her evidence, saying on reflection the article was accurate, prompting severe criticism from Coalition MPs including Ian Macdonald, the committee chairman. | Triggs had told the committee her comments were “taken out of context” and some quotes were inaccurate. She later revised her evidence, saying on reflection the article was accurate, prompting severe criticism from Coalition MPs including Ian Macdonald, the committee chairman. |
| In her opening statement on Monday, Triggs explained that in “one answer to one question after six hours of questioning might have been misconstrued”. She said there had been confusion because her answers related to the hard copy edition not the electronic version. | In her opening statement on Monday, Triggs explained that in “one answer to one question after six hours of questioning might have been misconstrued”. She said there had been confusion because her answers related to the hard copy edition not the electronic version. |
| Triggs said she had been assured by the editor of the Saturday Paper the extracts were accurate, and she accepted that. | Triggs said she had been assured by the editor of the Saturday Paper the extracts were accurate, and she accepted that. |
| Triggs explained that her comments she could have “destroyed” politicians questioning her role were made out of frustration with questions that indicated committee members had not read laws governing the commission and its reports. | Triggs explained that her comments she could have “destroyed” politicians questioning her role were made out of frustration with questions that indicated committee members had not read laws governing the commission and its reports. |
| “I regret any offence that the article or my comments might have caused,” she said. | “I regret any offence that the article or my comments might have caused,” she said. |
| In previous hearings, Macdonald boasted that he hadn’t read the commission’s Forgotten Children report because he did not want to “waste my time on a report which was clearly partisan”. | In previous hearings, Macdonald boasted that he hadn’t read the commission’s Forgotten Children report because he did not want to “waste my time on a report which was clearly partisan”. |
| Triggs said that about 18 months ago she told the attorney general, George Brandis, that she did not intend to seek a new term as AHRC president when her term expired in mid 2017. She said she confirmed that intention about six months ago. | Triggs said that about 18 months ago she told the attorney general, George Brandis, that she did not intend to seek a new term as AHRC president when her term expired in mid 2017. She said she confirmed that intention about six months ago. |
| In November Malcolm Turnbull said Triggs would not continue as Human Rights Commission president beyond 2017 in comments that were misinterpreted to mean the government was refusing to reappoint her to the position. | In November Malcolm Turnbull said Triggs would not continue as Human Rights Commission president beyond 2017 in comments that were misinterpreted to mean the government was refusing to reappoint her to the position. |