The former head of the Australian Human Rights Commission says human rights in Australia have regressed "on almost every front."
Gillian Triggs says that includes the rights of women, Indigenous Australians and asylum seekers and refugees.
After five years in the job, Professor Triggs has blasted Australia's politicians for creating a climate of fear around the threat of terrorism, as well as how they treat asylum seekers.
She has told the ABC in an interview the public needs to be careful about becoming too complacent.
"I think we've been lulled into a sense that anything the government wants to do in centralising power and in giving ministers, really, unprecedented discretion, without the supervision of the court, is something that the public has accepted because they say, 'We want a secure nation, and we want to secure our borders.'"
Coalition governments and supportive commentators have frequently criticised Professor Triggs.
But she maintains her decision to set up an inquiry into the detention of children in offshore processing centres in 2014 was motivated only by concern for the welfare of detainees.
Human Rights Law Centre executive director Hugh de Kretser says singling out the human-rights advocate for criticism has shown the Government's attitude to human rights in general.
"What we've seen from this Government is part of a broader trend which is undermining the checks and balances that are critical to our democratic systems. So part of those checks and balances are watchdog agencies, like the Human Rights Commission. Part of those checks and balances are an independent judiciary. We've had attacks on the rights of Australians to gather together and protest at the state level. We've had attempts to damage the ability of non-government organisations to speak up and advocate. And we've had attacks on press freedom and the ability of journalists to do their job."
Australia has recently come under closer examination as it prepares for probably winning a seat on the United Nations Human Rights Council after its competitors dropped out.
It has also been the subject of UN allegations it reneged on an agreement to resettle certain refugees in Australia as part of a deal to send more than 1,000 to the United States.
Professor Triggs says Australia has a questionable reputation globally.
"You're very well aware of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees being extremely critical of Australia's position in relation to the continued detention of thousands of people, both in Australia, on Christmas Island and on Manus and Nauru. So I think one would have to be very careful, indeed, before we assume that we are well-regarded in human-rights circles internationally."
Mr de Kretser, from the Human Rights Law Centre, has praised her ability to stand firm despite fierce scrutiny.
"I think, when we look back on the work of Gillian Triggs in her role at the commission, people will say it was incredibly important that she did not succumb to intense pressure, that she saw out her term and, in particular, that she highlighted incredible harm that our immigration-detention system is doing to innocent children."
Professor Triggs herself is unapologetic.
"Quietly, without being able to raise these, we are helping Australians achieve a level of fairness. I think that there are no regrets, and I very much hope that, in the future, the commission can continue to be fearless in standing up for the rights of Australians."
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