Greens defend role in ombudsman affair

The Australian Greens have defended their decision to use a parliamentary committee hearing to ask Commonwealth Ombudsman Allan Asher questions he drafted himself.

Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young is facing questions after leaked documents revealed she used a Senate budget estimates hearing in May to ask Mr Asher questions he scripted himself about the government's immigration policies and the funding for his office.

Greens leader Bob Brown also put questions on notice to the ombudsman - also drafted by Mr Asher - on several other issues.

Senator Brown said he was "very proud" the Greens had helped get valuable information into the public arena. Senator Brown said the real fault was with Labor because it had tried to stop Mr Asher from speaking out on issues.

"He scripted questions for two senators who were interested in areas he wanted to see brought forward," Senator Brown told reporters.

"I think he's made a good choice there." Mr Asher says in hindsight he may have done things differently, but Senator Brown said the ombudsman's job should not be under a cloud.

"It would be outrageous if the ombudsman's office was under question," he said.

"We've got a fiesty and intelligent and very public-minded ombudsman here, who's not going to be put in a box by government or politicians.

"We have a good ombudsman doing his job and willing to take a risk to ensure that that job is done even when being hectored by the minister's office."

Senator Hanson-Young said Mr Asher had taken the action he had because of frustration with Immigration Minister Chris Bowen's office.

"These emails show the minister's office were not happy with the ombudsman playing his independent role as a watchdog," she said.

Asked why Mr Asher did not just issue a press release about his concerns, Senator Hanson-Young said: "Whenever he did he got criticised and questioned by the minister about whether that was an appropriate thing to do."