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 isn'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' Australians 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 can't be deported so he was held in Villawood Detention Centre . Ms Triggs said this was 'lawful' but a breach of his human rights .