Tony Abbott slams Human Rights Commission for ‘bizarre ruling’ recommending a Indonesian man who killed his wife be freed from immigration detention and paid $350,000 compensation
- Tony Abbot has questioned the judgement of the head of Australia's human rights watchdog
- He labelled Gillian Triggs' ruling that recommended the release of a Papuan refugee as 'pretty bizzare'
- Papuan refugee John Basikbasik killed his de facto wife in 2000
- Triggs recommended Basikbasik should receive $350,000 compensation
By
Australian Associated Press
Published: 11:14 AEST, 8 January 2015 | Updated: 20:38 AEST, 8 January 2015
Tony Abbott has launched a blistering attack on the head of Australia's human rights watchdog, calling into question her judgement.
The prime minister labelled as 'pretty bizarre' a ruling by Human Rights Commission president Gillian Triggs that recommended the release from detention of a Papuan refugee who killed his de facto wife in 2000.
Ms Triggs also recommended John Basikbasik receive $350,000 in compensation for his arbitrary detention since 2007.
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Tony Abbott has launched a blistering attack on the head of Australia's human rights watchdog, calling into question her judgement
Successive immigration ministers have opted to leave Basikbasik in detention rather than release him into the community.
Mr Abbott said the ruling by Dr Triggs showed 'extremely questionable' judgment.
'Decisions like this do, I think, tend to shake people's confidence in institutions like the Human Rights Commission,' he told reporters in Adelaide on Thursday.
When asked whether he continued to have confidence in Dr Triggs, the prime minister said: 'I'm not going to go into that.'
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The prime minister labelled as 'pretty bizarre' a ruling by Human Rights Commission president Gillian Triggs that recommended the release from detention of a Papuan refugee who killed his de facto wife in 2000
Dr Triggs, a Labor appointee, ends her role in June 2017.
In a report published late in 2014, Dr Triggs said successive ministers had breached Basikbasik's human rights by keeping him in detention after his seven-year manslaughter sentence had concluded.
Because he is a genuine refugee, Basikbasik cannot be deported back to Indonesia.
He has a history of violent crimes and breaching bail conditions that dates back to 1985 when he arrived in Australia by canoe.
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Ms Triggs also recommended John Basikbasik receive $350,000 in compensation for his arbitrary detention since 2007
Former immigration minister Scott Morrison, who refused Basikbasik's request for a bridging visa in 2013, was dismissive of Dr Triggs.
She seemed to be 'always arguing for a fair go for those who have forfeited that right by their own behaviour'.
'There seems to be no consequences for one's actions in the system she seems to believe in,' the now social services minister told The Australian.
His successor, Peter Dutton, said suggestions 'wife killers should be released back into the community with a cheque from the taxpayer are so far removed from the public view, it is just offensive'.
Former Labor immigration minister Tony Burke would not be drawn into criticism of Dr Triggs, telling reporters she was principled and fearless.
He also saw her as someone who acted with complete probity.
Mr Burke defended his own role in keeping John Basikbasik in detention, saying he was very confident he had acted according to law.
So too did Chris Bowen, another Labor immigration minister, who said he had no regrets about denying Basikbasik a bridging visa in 2012.
The government has rejected a number of other decisions by Dr Triggs in recent months.
One involved paying $300,000 in compensation to a US-born convicted fraudster whom the government deported after he swindled $644,000 from taxpayers and banks.
