Brandis unfit to be AG, inquiry finds

A Labor-dominated parliamentary committee has found George Brandis misled parliament and is unfit to be attorney-general.

A parliamentary inquiry has recommended Attorney-General George Brandis be censured for misleading parliament over whether he consulted the solicitor-general over changes to his role.

The Labor-dominated Senate committee found Senator Brandis did not consult Justin Gleeson before banning ministers, including the prime minister, from seeking advice from the solicitor-general without notifying him first.

Its report, tabled in parliament on Tuesday, recommends the Senate disallow the change or that Senator Brandis withdraw it immediately.

"This inquiry has clearly demonstrated the unfitness of the attorney-general to hold his high office," said Labor frontbencher Louise Pratt, who chairs the committee.

"The solicitor-general was not consulted on the direction, he was not informed of its development."

Labor will move on Thursday to disallow the amendment with the support of the Greens and the Nick Xenophon Team.

It's unlikely any censure would be moved this week as notice has to be given.

Liberal backbencher Ian Macdonald slammed the committee.

"It is a committee of the Labor Party and the Greens, wasting Senate resources on political witch-hunts," he told parliament.

He said Mr Gleeson, who resigned after telling the inquiry he was not consulted on the change, had made "unfortunate decisions".

"He knows that it is not appropriate for him to tell the world about who he was giving advice to."

Senator Brandis insists he did consult Mr Gleeson.

Senator Pratt said his definition of consultation was "completely fanciful".

The inquiry found it was improper for Senator Brandis to make the change, which constrained the independence of the solicitor-general, demonstrating "his lack of competence to hold the office of attorney-general".

The fact Senator Brandis continued to insist he had acted appropriately provided further evidence he should be discharged from his responsibilities, the report said.

In a dissenting report, government senators said the independence of the solicitor-general was not in any way endangered by Senator Brandis' amendment.


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Source: AAP



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