Shadow attorney-general George Brandis has questioned the decision to award a Human Rights Medal to a lawyer who ran a race discrimination case against newspaper columnist Andrew Bolt.

Senator Brandis has told Senate Estimates he was disappointed Ron Merkel QC was awarded the 2011 prize, partly in recognition for his role in the court case.

Mr Merkel was lead counsel representing nine Aboriginal people who successfully argued Bolt breached the Racial Discrimination Act in two articles published in 2009.

Senator Brandis says he was alarmed by the commission's choice.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-02-14/brandis-questions-human-rights-medal-for-bolt-case-lawyer/3828868

Brandis should be aware that Ron Merkel QC can be hired — like any QC — by whatever litigants — and win or loose according to judgement. Whether he was successful in representing Aboriginal people against Bolt has no bearing on the price of fish. To see Brandis, tooted as the Libs' (conservatives) choice for Attorney General, lambast Ron Merkel (a fine QC) shows that he's got no sense of the laws and its processes in this land.

Brandis shows great stupidity in this attack — a stupidity that a first year law student would not be allowed to have should he/she wishes to proceed to year two...