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Tony Abbott Says Human Rights Commission Must Justify Money Spent On It

The Liberal backbencher wants to scrap the Commission altogether.
The former prime minister condemned a video by radical group Hizb ut-Tahrir which defends violence against women.
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The former prime minister condemned a video by radical group Hizb ut-Tahrir which defends violence against women.

Appearing on The Ray Hadley Morning Show after replacing Scott Morrison, Tony Abbott has said that the Human Rights Commission needs to "justify the $50 million a year the taxpayer spend on it".

The Liberal backbencher spoke on 2GB following an opinion piece written for News Corp in which he outlined his five-point-plan to help the Coalition win the next federal election, including scrapping the Commission altogether.

The former prime minister took aim at a controversial video published by radical Islamic political group Hizb ut-Tahrir which defended violence against women.

In the video, one of two pannelists describes the role of men as "protectors and maintainers of women" and suggests that "disobedient" wives can be disciplined by being hit -- as long as it doesn't hurt.

Since its publication, the video has been condemned by a number of prominent Muslim community leaders and sparked outrage across Australia, with the Federal Minister for Women, Michaelia Cash, describing it as "abhorrent".

"The trouble with Hizb ut-Tahrir is that they've always managed to keep themselves just within the law," Abbott said.

"Why isn't the Human Rights Commission all over Hizb ut-Tahrir for denying the human rights of women by appearing to condone wife beating.

"If the Human Rights Commission is to justify the $50 million a year that the taxpayer spend on it, let's get them onto Hizb ut-Tahrir and other Islamist extremist organisations."

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