Triggs is 'ill-informed', Dutton says

Immigration Minister Peter Dutton says he hasn't been bullying Australia's human rights chief.

President of the Human Right Commission Prof. Gillian Triggs.

Human Rights Commission president Gillian Triggs (AAP) Source: AAP

Immigration Minister Peter Dutton says the Australian Human Rights Commission President Gillian Triggs is ill-informed, but insists he isn't bullying her.

The two are at loggerheads over the federal government's immigration policies, particularly surrounding asylum seekers and a plan to remove Australian citizenship from dual nationals involved in terrorism.

Mr Dutton has accused Ms Triggs of reducing her office to that of a political advocate, saying she was far more lenient on the former Labor government.

"I believe very strongly that people who are making ill-informed comments in relation to these matters need to be appraised of all the facts," Mr Dutton said in Brisbane on Tuesday.

He also rejected opposition claims that he was bullying Ms Triggs.

"They're wrong," he said.

"To point out the facts in relation to a particular matter is not bullying."

Mr Dutton last week urged Ms Triggs to reconsider her position.

The tensions began on Thursday, when Ms Triggs used a forum in Adelaide to criticise the government for its policy of turning asylum-seeker boats back to Indonesia.

She then continued her attack on Friday night, criticising the government's plan to remove Australian citizenship of dual national terror supporters.

Meanwhile, Mr Dutton had accused Ms Triggs of linking the execution of Bali Nine drug smugglers Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran with Australia's border protection policies.


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Source: AAP


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