Human rights commissioner Gillian Triggs has again defended her decision to give $ 350,000 to a refugee who killed his pregnant wife . In a senate estimates hearing on Friday , Ms Triggs was grilled by coalitions senators after she backed her recommendation that John Basikbasik should receive $ 350,000 in compensation for being 'arbitrarily ' held in a detention centre after the government ruled he was too dangerous to be integrated back into society . Ms Triggs said it was her role to remind the government of their 'international obligations ' and hold them accountable for breaching human rights . The human rights commissioner was forced to defend her decision in a senate estimate hearing after she recommended $ 350,000 be awarded to a man who killed his pregnant wife . 'While the government of course has an executive power to detain someone , that executive power must be exercised in a way that is necessary and proportionate to achieve a legitimate aim , ' she said . ' I think most fair-minded Australians would say that holding someone for eight years after he has served his prison sentence is something that does require at least the regular consideration of his case , and regular consideration of whether or not alternative forms of detention or supervision might be used . ' Mr Basikbasik was involved in the West Papuan independence movement and gravely opposed Indonesia 's occupation of his home . Mr Basikbasik reportedly canoed to Australia , arriving on 13 June 1985 . He was granted refugee status in 1986 and reportedly committed a number of violent offences before beating his pregnant 28-year-old partner and unborn child to death with a bicycle . After spending seven years behind bars for the horrific crime his sentence had come to an end however Mr Basikbasik was still deemed a danger to society . The government was not able to deport him because of his genuine asylum seeker status so instead they chose to release him into Villawood Detention Centre , where he remained for a further eight years . The human rights commissioner said Mr Basikbasik 's human rights were breached adding it was 'standard procedure ' to recommend compensation for anybody in Australia who had been detained 'contrary to those international obligations . ' 'His human rights have been breached , and where there has been a breach , there is a recommendation for compensation ' Ms Triggs confirms his detention was lawful however her report claims the compensation estimate reflects the level of indignity Mr Basikbasik suffered through losing his freedom and liberty . ' I appreciate the public wants to know how these sums are computed but again I think a fair minded person would say to be held for eight years without a charge , without a trial , and without consideration as to whether alternatives could be considered for this man , especially in light of the psychiatrist 's evidence that a management plan had not been developed for him , would consider the compensation proposed was a reasonable one , ' she said . Mr Basikbasik was held in Villawood Detention Centre for eight years after a serving a seven year sentence . Challenging the government for her apparent trial by media Ms Triggs said they always had the opportunity to challenge her decisions , however rarely did . 'Normally it would be for members of parliament to read my reports , to question them if they chose to , and if appropriate , for the attorney to appeal against them . 'That has not been done and unfortunately the choice has been made to do so in the pages of a particular newspaper , where the facts and legal reasoning were grossly misstated . ' This is n't the first instance the relationship between the commissioner and the current government appeared strained . Tony Abbott has repeatedly called for Ms Triggs to resign from her position as Human Rights Commissioner . Tony Abbot publically slammed Ms Triggs for her 315-page report into the treatment of children in detentions centres . The Prime Minister labeled it a 'partisan report ' and 'political-stitch up ' immediately demanding her resignation . Ms Triggs was allegedly offered a job by attorney general George Brandis in return for her resignation . Shadow attorney general Mark Dreyfus wrote to the Australian Federal Police at the time asking if Mr Brandis had in fact committed an offence by making the offer .
Gillian Triggs came under fire in a senate estimates hearing on Friday . She called for a refugee who killed his wife to be awarded $ 350,000 . 'Fair-minded ' West Papuan should agree he deserved the money , she said . She claims John Basikbasik was 'arbitrarily held ' for the past eight years . After spending seven years in jail he was still seen as a danger to society . Refugees ca n't be deported so he was held in Villawood Detention Centre . Ms Triggs said this was 'lawful ' but a breach of his human rights .