Human Rights Commissioner Tim Wilson has allegedly been promised Professor Gillian Triggs' job as president of the Human Rights Commission, writes contributing editor-at-large Tess Lawrence.

Trusted sources have stated to me that Wilson was actually promised the presidency several years ago as an inducement to leave his role as a director of the Institute of Public Affairs, often described as a conservative think tank by some, a non-think tank by others. 

That promise was also allegedly more recently affirmed in secret discussions held at the behest of the Attorney General George Brandis, himself acting on direct instruction from besieged Prime Minister Tony Abbott.

Given that the IPA had already preposterously called for the Human Rights Commission to be abolished, Wilson's appointment to the HRC in December 2013 was a decision mired in controversy and disbelief.

EXCLUSIVE: Tim Wilson already promised Gillian Triggs' job